OPPOSITION parties have cast doubt over the Pakatan Harapan government’s ability to deliver the 11th Malaysia Plan, which comes to an end in two years.

Following Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s tabling of the midterm review of the plan in Parliament today, MCA called it full of rhetoric.

Its deputy president, Wee Ka Siong, said Dr Mahathir’s 11MP review only touched on the surface of matters without going into detail on any specific plans to achieve it.

“An example is the initiative to build 200,000 affordable homes, when it had been previously planned under the 11MP (by the previous Barisan Nasional government) to build 500,000 units.

“Repackaging housing needs will not add anything new or significant. It is merely a rebranding exercise,” he said at the Parliament lobby today.

The Ayer Itam MP added there was also no depth to the six new pillars introduced by Dr Mahathir in his review.

Meanwhile, PAS deputy president Tuan Ibrahim Tuan expressed his doubts about the PH government achieving the MP11, especially with the high level of debts it has to service.

“The biggest issue is finance. Although the review looks great, we are aware of the reality that the government has no money, as it has said many times.

“With only two years to go, I am worried about the government’s ability to achieve what’s being planned,” he said.

After taking over Putrajaya following the May general election, PH had revealed that the nation’s debts stood at RM1 trillion, and moved towards a severe austerity drive, resulting in the cancellation of numerous PH election promises.

Tuan Ibrahim also said the government should be monitored to ensure it implements its MP11 programmes.

“We will see on Monday the debates in the Dewan Rakyat on this review. There are some elements that should be focused on.

“These include the balanced development of territories, the relationship between states and the federal government and general development issues,” he said. – October 18, 2018.