SABAH DAP has thrown its support behind Pakatan Harapan chairman and prime minister designate Dr Mahathir Mohamad, despite his “ugly” reputation in the state.

State DAP adviser Jimmy Wong said Sabah folk must look at the “big picture” and not focus on the former prime minister’s alleged involvement in “Projek IC”.

Dr Mahathir has been accused of flooding the state with illegal immigrants and granting them citizenship, and in return, they are to vote for Barisan Nasional.

Wong said Dr Mahathir had helped Malaysia weather two major economic crises during his tenure, and that he was able to keep inflation low and deal with matters relating to the nation’s debts without implementing the goods and services tax.

“Look at the 1985 economic crisis and the Asian financial crisis in 1997.

“Dr Mahathir was able to keep all the subsidies, keep petrol prices low and keep the business community happy without having to implement an advance tax regime.

“Now, under Prime Minister Najib Razak, everything is worse. Fuel prices are high, food items are expensive and taxpayers need to wait a long time to get their excess payment under the advance tax system.

“Furthermore, people say that national debt is now reaching RM1 trillion. That’s more than 80% of the national gross domestic product.

“And, we are paying GST, perhaps to resolve the country’s debt issues.

“Even Malaysian women are troubled, as they need to pay GST to buy sanitary pads,” said the Kota Kinabalu MP during the state PH’s Chinese New Year open house in Penampang today.

PH plans to end GST if it wins the 14th general election and forms the government, and Wong said only Dr Mahathir, with his vast experience, was capable of bringing the country out of its debt crisis.

State DAP secretary Chan Foong Hin said BN was an “extravagant” government, whereby Najib provided huge allocations for himself, via the Prime Minister’s Department, to allow for excessive spending.

He said Malaysia could do without GST if funds were used prudently, adding that existing income and business taxes were sufficient to bankroll the country’s various projects.

“Under Najib, close to RM20 billion has been spent, compared with the era of Dr Mahathir in the 1980s, when he used only RM5.3 billion.

“If we take into account inflation and other factors, RM5.3 billion is equivalent to RM12 billion. This is Najib’s extravagant spending.”

Support for Dr Mahathir in Sabah has not gained much traction due to his treatment of Sabah folk in the past.

Prior to the state DAP’s comments on Dr Mahathir – the first among the pact’s parties in the state – only Parti Warisan Sabah’s Mohd Shafie Apdal had spoken up in support of the PH chairman during roadshow appearances in the state.

Even state PKR chairman Christina Liew had expressed doubt as to whether Dr Mahathir would be accepted by Sabahans.

The 93-year-old leader has yet to step foot in Sabah since becoming PH chairman. – February 17, 2018.