Finally, Pakatan Harapan has published its "Kita Boleh" Manifesto for GE15, (you can download a copy here) a document of promises (or "Tawaran") that from the surface looks all good and hopeful, but from my point of view is still a disappointment. As usual, it's full of candy dishing and half promises. Almost similar in flavour to what BN and Ismail Sabri have offered. As an economist enthusiast lacks depth and the "How" or "Means" to make real change. I would like to spend some time digressing into some of its contents which will hopefully help us make better decisions this coming election. I am not calling anyone's "Hope" a meaningless action, but what I am saying is that this half-hearted move is only trying to please as many people without the real substance to understand the real issues behind it.
The first thing first we are dished out with is the cost of living. It tackles 2 main issues Food and transport, and eradicating Cartels were mentioned. However are smart enough and will try to survive and fluctuate their prices at the right time to manipulate the market, so the HOW will play an important role, which of course is nowhere to be seen. Making matters worse core consumer prices which exclude food and administered prices are still going up and up (this is everything else you need to buy like housing maintenance, to recreational goods). Hence, IMHO while this document is thick it is still half-hearted and doesn't reflect the needs sentiment of the masses. Another "Feel Good Channel".
The next in line was food security, which ironically, even the previous PH government themselves failed in this area, and making matters worse is considering increasing the subsidies for paddy farmers (a clear "gula-gula" move). Speaking from personal experience, my previous outfit once offered to optimize subsidies and remove corruptible elements by using technology, and the inaction is simply put "appalling" and idiotic. (that is another story to tell one of these days, nonetheless)
Poverty eradication is another hit on my nerve and only focusing on aid. And not looking at the root cause of poverty, especially urban poverty. seems like microcredit is the only answer for PH. we all should just remain poor. I am not saying the handout is not good, but simply it's something that should be a "given". How could you pull them out of poverty should be the focus. The same things can be seen for Workers' Welfare nothing is said about job creation or high-value entrepreneurship, and where there's something mentioned, there's no indication of what kind of figures are we looking at.
"Eh, Mukmin, you like nothing ah?" said a friend who was obviously absurdly in love with PH. and I said, "Ada la a few good ones, but could have been great!" I replied without blinking, and I get a long pause. He just didn't know how to react. At that point even before asking for examples or why I say so. I was brushed with "Itu permulaan jer," and walked away. Hmm... so much hope to get a proper explanation, everything also Rafizi has to explain, is it? Sigh... "What do you mean by it could have been great?" This is the kind of question that I anticipated but was not given a chance to say out loud.
How I wish to have a government that would prioritize treating the root cause versus the symptoms. For example, in eradicating corruption (in politics), the only thing new was the "Ombudsman" system. everything else was mentioned before, nothing new, or tried and some with failure to launch problems during the previous administration. How about a change to "political treasure chest collection" methods? (which we can see clearly from Najib and Zahid's Trial was the root cause of all these issues). Allowing only a small private contribution and the rest depending on public money? Or is there no cash donation allowed or electronic transfer (minus bitcoin) only rule? But of course, there is no incentive for them to fight for real change. Oh, how I am so tired of politicians with no real change agenda!
What choice do we have? Between the Dumb, and the Dumber? Some good here... Some good there... Nothing great anywhere.
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