PH's manifesto only for short-term gain: Salleh

PETALING JAYA: Datuk Seri Salleh Said Keruak said Pakatan Harapan's election manifesto is only a case of short-term gain, with future generations to bear the brunt of the current government's folly.
The Communications and Multimedia Minister said the manifesto had been dressed up to appear like they are giving Malaysians milk and honey if they win the upcoming election, but in reality, it was only giving a poisoned cup to drink from.
"As they say in America, there is no such thing as a free lunch. Someone, somewhere, has to pay for it," he said in a blog post on Saturday evening.
Salleh questioned how the opposition was going to cope with doing away with the Goods and Services Tax (GST) within the first 100 days of taking power, noting that it had helped the government earn RM40 million annually.
"They are going to abolish the GST and reintroduce the Sales and Services Tax (SST) when all over the world countries are introducing it (GST). But they do not explain how much they will earn once the GST is abolished.
"Where is the alternative revenue that will be needed to pay for goods and services and to develop the country going to come from?" he said.
Salleh said another promise by Pakatan, to stabilise the price of petrol and introduce targeted subsidies, was also similarly a populist one, noting that oil prices are subject to global fluctuations and external factors.
"Commodity prices cannot be controlled and once when Malaysia tried to control the tin market before, it ended up in a disaster that is still being felt until today.
"Most economists would disagree that subsidies for petrol is a good thing," he said.
Salleh added that the manifesto was merely aimed at making voters feel good, similar to when they promised to abolish tolls in 2008, but has failed to do so in Selangor since gaining power that year.