Pakatan’s alternative budget a disappointing fare
Hazlan Zakaria, The Ant Daily
Personally I was quite excited when I received a copy of the Pakatan Rakyat’s alternative budget, given that it had been touted as being prepared by the best minds in opposition pact, and I relished the opportunity to truly compare it with the 2015 Federal Budget.
After all it was touted that the best of the best was to have compiled the document, among them the rock star accountants and rising economists of Pakatan.
I was quite disappointed though with their treatment of the document despite its supposedly hallowed origin.
“At the most fundamental level, this document is a critique on governance and style of leadership…” read a paragraph in the conclusion.
While I applaud the honesty, I wonder if they were truly serious in showcasing their financial understanding, more so some detail and hard work to prove themselves as viable alternative to the BN.
Instead of an outline or a carefully thought-out budget, it was more a propaganda document aimed at pin-pricks and nit-picks of the federal budget.
This is what must change for Pakatan to really offer an alternative to the ruling party. Stop thinking like the opposition and start showing you are capable of being the government.
I believe people would want to see not only naked numbers and barely veiled attacks on the BN, but more cogent solutions with detailed analysis and hard numbers as well as implementation figures.
If we want to listen to mere critiques, we can go to any kedai kopi and sit to listen.
Indeed a member of the Pakatan’s budget committee readily admitted in news reports that they avoided ‘sensitive’ issues like funding for the differently abled, fearing criticisms and discarded actual projections for government operations.
It was even reported that one of the committee members actually argued that the document was to give the rakyat a taste of the difference that Pakatan can bring.
Unfortunately, despite the hype I personally am not sold. Pakatan supporters may listen but those seeking cogent arguments can look elsewhere.
How different can you be to BN when you are using the same style of arguments?
The document took great pains to point out that BN is an opaque government with leakages, but did little to give confidence to Pakatan for those seeking validation as it was admittedly only a taste of what the opposition is capable of.
After all of their comments and criticisms about how the BN-led government is being simplistic and less than forthcoming about information and details, one would have expected a more diligent counterpoint from Pakatan.
Well, guess what? Their so called alternative budget is no alternative but is just as ambiguous, if not more.
Had this been a solid numbers budget it could depict Pakatan expertise but the rhetoric-laced document is just propaganda at this juncture. I am disappointed to say the least.
