PETALING JAYA (THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK) - Former Malaysia deputy prime minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has slammed the Pakatan Harapan (PH) over its inconsistent statements, likening the new government to the popular fermented soybean dish called "tempeh".
Mstar, the Malay language online edition of The Star, said Datuk Seri Zahid also criticised government for not fulfilling its election promises.
"We see for example, when they were declared winners, they said the fuel price will go down but in reality it has not gone down," Mr Zahid was quoted as saying by Umno Online news site.
"They also declared that the goods and services tax (GST) will be abolished, but the prices of goods have not dropped even though GST is now zero-rated. There are 90 items that have risen in price," he added.
"They say one thing in the morning and another in the afternoon.
"Like tempeh... It is soybeans in the morning, by the afternoon it has become tempeh and tomorrow it will grow mouldy," he said.
He said Pakatan's promise to waive repayment of loans for college students, called PTPTN, for those earning RM4,000 (S$1,345) and below, will prevent other students from receiving the loan as government funds will dry up.
"They also said the country's debt is RM1 trillion, when in fact it is only RM686.8 billion. They say there were foreign loans but it is actually 'domestic debt', which is domestic loans, this means there are no foreign outflow of cash," Mr Zahid was quoted as saying.
He said these at a breaking of fast event with Umno Division information chiefs on Sunday (May 27).
Mr Zahid said the new government also accused the former government of making loans in US dollars and Japanese yen but the central bank showed only two per cent of these loans were in US dollars and one per cent in yen.
"They used to say that the economy was in disrepair and the country was almost bankrupt but now they say the economy is strong."
Mr Zahid said he hoped that all Barisan Nasional MPs will unite to become an effective opposition in Parliament to curb "defamation" by PH.
