Malaysia’s opposition coalition leaders, Pakatan Harapan (PH), are pulling out all the stops in the lead-up to our country’s general election, set to be called later this year.
Over the weekend, they announced their candidate for Prime Minister, should they come to power, everyone’s favorite nonagenarian former leader (nope, not Mugabe), Tun Dr M Mahathir Mohamad.
At 93-years-old, to call the man who led the country for two decades “experienced” is to call the Pope “Catholic.” That is to say: VERY.
Today, PH announced a new incentive should your precious votes get them into power. DAP’s Ong Kian Ming told Malaysians that an unlimited RM100 travel card for commuters taking public transportation would be introduced.
He added that the recent 50% spike in riders when a rebate was offered on transportation meant that commuters were keen on taking trains and buses, but at a lower cost. After the offer expired, the amount of people using the service declined sharply.
Ong has been vocal regarding the maximization in use of both the LRT and MRT, two projects that cost the government billions, and not letting them go to waste.
“I am confident with the introduction of this pass (RM100 unlimited travel pass), public transportation usage especially on the LRT, MRT and Rapid buses will increase significantly, perhaps even beyond the daily ridership figures set in August 2017 when the LRT and MRT fares were reduced by 50 per cent,” he added.
RM100 travel card you say? Ok. Not bad. Not like, civil servant bonus good. Or “hey, I’m a child” good, but not bad.
Meanwhile, in East Malaysia, one of the coalition opposition parties’ women’s vice heads Voon Shiak Ni tried to assuage Sarawakians’ worries that Dr M was more elderly statesman than elder statesman.
She told a press conference that the party had elected him based on the respect that he still commanded from the public, particularly a large amount of Malays.
Voon asked Sarawakians to “look beyond the age of the former prime minister,” as the main objective was to win the parliamentary seats they so lacked in the last election.
Girl, you don’t want to look too beyond his age, you know wha’ I mean, yeh? You might overshoot the mark.
“With Dr Mahathir as prime minister-designate, we hope to win 20 to 30 more seats in the Malay heartlands in the peninsula,” Voon added, hopefully. She told voters that under the current ruling party’s 50-year tenure, citizens had suffered immensely, and that they should not suffer for another 50.
Uh, she is aware that for 40% of that time we were under the leadership of the man she’s trying to convince us to elect, right? Just checking.
C U @ the pollz.
Reader Interactions