“SAVE Malaysia” will remain Pakatan Harapan’s battle cry as it continues campaigning beyond the kleptocracy rallies that ended yesterday in the run-up to the general election. 

PH will use that slogan at its ceramah and events to present policies the opposition pact intends to pursue if elected to take power in Putrajaya.

These promises include a new deal for Sabah and Sarawak, pledges to boost the economy and the youth, and a relook at the Malaysia’s foreign relations.

PH presidential council secretary-general Saifuddin Abdullah said the coalition’s raft of institutional reforms and measures was to tackle corruption.

The essential message will be that PH wants to save Malaysia from a kleptocratic Barisan Nasional administration, and its manifesto would detail how it planned to do it, said another PH leader, Khalid Samad.

“We are making kleptocracy the defining issue of this election, and we want to emphasise that the public will have to pay for BN’s abuses if they are not stopped,” Khalid told The Malaysian Insight.

PH’s “Love Malaysia, end kleptocracy” roadshow saw its top leaders tour the country to explain the 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) scandal and its impact on ordinary Malaysians.

The roadshow events were usually helmed by former prime minister-turned opposition politician Dr Mahathir Mohamad, while a slideshow by DAP publicity secretary Tony Pua presented the facts and figures of the 1MDB scandal in an easily understood format.

The three-month roadshow culminated in a rally in Petaling Jaya, Selangor last night.

Saifuddin said the coalition had opted to reveal parts of its manifesto and policy platform in stages, instead of one big announcement during the election campaign period.

Among the promises that PH had made thus far include:

* Abolishing the goods and services tax (GST);

* Reopening investigations into 1MDB and to reclaim assets allegedly bought with money stolen from the state investor;

* To introduce a two-term limit for prime ministers;

* Appointing a deputy prime minister for Sabah and Sarawak; and,

* Giving Sabah 20% petroleum royalties and granting East Malaysia greater autonomy to craft transport, health and education policies.

Two days before the government tables the 2018 budget on October 27, PH will unveil parts of its economic policy through the announcement of its alternative budget for Malaysia, Saifuddin said.

In December, another component of the manifesto will be revealed at the coalition’s convention, he said.

“From our experience, if you announce the whole manifesto during the official campaign period, there is very little time for people to study and digest it,” said Saifuddin.

“So we decided that we will unveil parts of its so people can mull over it, comment, criticise and we can respond to that feedback.”

However, the complete manifesto with all the policy proposals would be released once Parliament was dissolved, said Saifuddin. – October 15, 2017.