AMBITIOUS.

That one word describes Pakatan Harapan’s reform agenda for Malaysia if it forms the next government. It believes if it manages to fix the mangled macro policies or philosophies that have influenced policy-making in Malaysia for decades, the country’s true potential will be unleashed.

For a start, it wants to dilute the powers of the prime minister. He will no longer have the sole discretion to appoint the attorney-general or inspector-general of police.

The coalition also wants to reform how laws are made. It pledges to provide free tertiary education for children from lower-income families. It wants to slash the size of the bloated Malaysian cabinet.

It wants to reduce toll charges. It wants to push for a royal pardon for Anwar Ibrahim, the opposition leader serving a five-year jail sentence for sodomy‎.

It will make sure that the positions of the prime minister and finance minister are held by different individuals – a move aimed at providing more check and balance in key areas of decision-making.

Saifuddin Abdullah, head of Pakatan Harapan’s secretariat, said the newly minted coalition’s policies for the first 100 days will be driven by some overarching themes, namely ending racial politics, having an independent judiciary, as well as making the executive branches of the government from federal ministries to municipal councils more accountable.

PH is made up of PKR, Parti Amanah Negara (Amanah), DAP and Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu).‎

“Instead of cash handouts, such as the 1Malaysia People’s Aid Scheme (BR1M), PH will introduce a regime of targeted subsidies, such as those in place in Selangor.”

“We want people to trust the country’s system again. When people trust the system, only then can we unleash their true potential,” said Saifuddin, a former deputy education minister.

Getting the system right is the approach taken in Scandinavian countries, said Saifuddin, and it’s the reason they are consistently in the top world rankings for education, wages, income distribution, economic development and quality of life.

Although many of the specific policies will take years to bear fruit, Saifuddin listed several short-term measures that the public will be able to see in the first 100 days.

These are:

* Reducing the goods and services tax (GST) to zero.

* Lowering tolls on highways with the aim of eventually abolishing most of them.

* Lowering public transport charges.

* Reducing cabotage fees for Sabah and Sarawak to lower the price of goods there.

* Providing free tertiary education for children of low-income families.

* Cutting down the number of federal ministers to reduce government operating costs.

* Declaring the assets of all ministers and senior civil servants.

To make Parliament more responsive to the public, Saifuddin said a law reform committee will be formed.

Among other tasks, the committee will review problematic laws, such as the Sedition Act, Sosma (Security Offences Special Measures Act) and the Peaceful Assembly Act.

Parliament will also have more special committees, such as the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), to have more oversight over government policy and agencies.

To stop the excesses of the executive branch of government, PH will ensure that the prime minister and finance minister are held by two separate individuals and reduce the number of ministries.

Critical posts, such as that of the attorney-general, Bank Negara governor and IGP will be decided by a committee instead of just the prime minister.

“The aim is to dilute the power of one person to decide everything,” said Saifuddin.

It is understood that there is some traction among some PH leaders to setting a term limit for the‎ PM. 

Umno insiders believe that the general election will be held in September just after two feel-good events – the 60th anniversary of Merdeka and a strong showing by the country’s contingent at the Sea Games in Kuala Lumpur.

But political pundits believe that Najib Razak may be discouraged from going to the polls early, given survey findings that show Barisan Nasional’s dismal approval ratings and the fact that the rising cost of living is biting various income groups.

Either way, PH has prepared its 100-day programme for voters. – April 10, 2017.