The unpopular 6 per cent GST is to be replaced by the sales and services tax (SST), used for many years before the GST was introduced in April 2015.

• Malaysia's Parliament on Aug 8 repeals the GST Act 2014.
• The House passes the Sales Tax Bill 2018 and Services Tax Bill 2018.
• The SST targets a narrower base of goods and services, and is to be implemented in September.
• The Bills have to be passed by the Upper House (Senate), before the Malaysian King signs them into law.

Relook the awarding of mega projects to foreign countries

• The government is studying how to reduce costs of projects with Singapore - the high-speed rail linking Kuala Lumpur and Jurong East, and the Rail Transit Link between Johor Baru and Woodlands North.
• Projects involving China companies are also being scrutinised, including the East Coast Rail Link and two pipeline projects - one from Melaka to Kedah and another in Sabah state.

Stabilise oil prices, introduce fuel subsidies for targeted groups

Motorcycles with engines below 125cc and cars under 1,300cc are eligible for subsidies.

• With global petroleum prices rising, the government has kept Malaysian petrol prices steady, fulfilling part of the promise.
• Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng said on July 23 that RM3 billion has been set aside to subsidise petrol prices this year.
• A scheme to implement the targeted fuel subsidies is being studied, he added.

PROMISES MET HALFWAY

Postpone repayments to the National Higher Education Fund, PTPTN, for those earning below RM4,000 a month

• A top PTPTN official said in February that 2.81 million people had borrowed money from the government to fund their college studies.
• Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad said on Aug 11 that RM39 billion has been dished out.
• Fulfilling its promise, PH in June removed nearly 430,000 loan defaulters from a "blacklist" that stopped them from flying abroad. The list was put up by the previous government to push them to pay up.
• Those earning above RM4,000 a month have been reminded to make repayments.

Introduce Employees Provident Fund (EPF) scheme for housewives

The scheme aims to provide some pension money for housewives, as many Malaysian women stop working in order to raise children.

• The Suri Incentive programme, or i-Suri, kicked off on Aug 15. Suri means housewife in Malay.
• The government allocates RM20 million for disbursement to 359,065 women from poor families - housewives, divorcees and single women.
• The women must have an EPF account, and save at least RM5 monthly. The government will add RM40 a month to the account.
• Legislative changes need to be made before the scheme can be implemented.

Investigate scandal-plagued institutions

Set up Royal Commissions of Inquiry (RCIs) to probe state fund 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB), education and business agency Mara, land development authority Felda and pilgrimage fund Tabung Haji and reshuffle their leadership structures.

• No RCI has been set up.
• There is major progress in the 1MDB case. The government has charged former premier Najib Razak in court and brought back superyacht Equanimity, said to have been bought using 1MDB funds.
• But there have not been any announcements on alleged scandals linked to Mara, Felda or Tabung Haji.

Set up a task force to study how to return autonomy to Sabah and Sarawak as promised. The promises are set out in the Malaysia Agreement 1963.

• The Cabinet has agreed to the formation of a special Cabinet committee on the Malaysia Agreement 1963, says de facto Law Minister Liew Vui Keong on July 19.

Standardise minimum wages across the country, and raise the current minimum wage.

• The minimum wage in Peninsular Malaysia is RM1,000 a month and RM920 in East Malaysia.
• PH is looking to raise minimum wages to RM1,500 but this will be done in stages, said Human Resources Minister M. Kulasegaran on Aug 5.
• There has been done in consultation with the National Wage Consultative Council.

Introduce national healthcare assistance initiative

• The Skim Peduli Sihat (Healthcare Scheme) is targeted at the country's B40 - the bottom 40 per cent of Malaysian households.
• A special team has been formed by the Health Ministry to look into this, Health Minister Dzulkefly Ahmad said on July 5. The scheme, he said, will benefit 2.61 million households or 10.4 million Malaysians.

PROMISES NOT MET

Abolish the fields of Felda Settlers

• These farmers borrow government funds for plantings and replantings in their palm oil and rubber plantations.
• In Parliament in April last year, it was estimated that the debts totalled RM5 billion.