DELEGATES at the Amanah convention today criticised the smoking ban and targeted petrol subsidy scheme, calling them misplaced Pakatan Harapan policies.

Nasir Zakaria from Kedah joined another delegate to demand a deferment of the targeted petrol subsidy scheme.

“This petrol subsidy scheme is going to be a tragedy for us. The price going up one sen per week will be painful for us,” Nasir said at the party’s national convention in Shah Alam today.

“This is the same type of policy that brought down Pak Lah,” he said, referring to former prime minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

Abdullah’s Barisan Nasional administration from 2004 to 2008 suffered setbacks in the 2008 general election because of rising petrol prices.

PH will end blanket subsidies to keep RON95 at RM2.08 per litre.

Instead, starting next year, RON95 will be floated on a weekly basis while low-income folk will receive subsidies directly through cash aid in their accounts every month.

“We have also received a lot of negative feedback on the smoking policy,” Nasir said when debating the president’s speech.

“People are waiting in lines to get into government hospitals. They are forced to stand up in the emergency wards because there are not enough beds. But we focus on smoking,” said Nasir.

The smoking ban in public eateries and venues was instituted by Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad, a leader in Amanah’s central committee. – December 7, 2019.