PPBM chairman Dr Mahathir Mohamad delivers his speech during the Pakatan Harapan (PH) mega ceramah at the Kukup transportation terminal November 13, 2019. — Picture by Shafwan Zaidon

PONTIAN, Nov 14 — Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad urged the people to give the Pakatan Harapan (PH) government enough time to cure the economic disease that is plaguing the country.

He said if the government was given enough time, such diseases can be eliminated or cured.

“However, we are only in power for more than one and a half years.

“Many have said we have been unsuccessful, but we managed to cure a lot of diseases that were left behind (by the previous administration) for us,” said Dr Mahathir during the Mega Ceramah PH held at the Kukup transportation terminal near here last night.

Dr Mahathir, who is also the PH chairman, said this to a crowd of about 3,000 that saw Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng, PKR secretary-general Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismai and Parti Amanah Negara (Amanah) president Mohamad Sabu.

Also present was Johor Mentri Besar Datuk Dr Sahruddin Jamal, who is also the PH Tanjung Piai by-election machinery director and the parliamentary candidate Karmaine Sardini, who both gave a short speech.

The 94-year-old Langkawi MP said the country has debts and the current PH government is trying their best to get back money to repay its loans.

“We ask for five years (to fully revive the country’s economy) and we have plans to transform the country, especially in terms of wealth distribution among the people,” said Dr Mahathir.

He also added that every nation needs to have rich people because if there are none, who would then want to pay taxes.

“The government will tax from the rich, and this is how the government helps the poor.

“The distribution will be done fairly and the government will also not curb those who seek to have a business. Any form of profit will also partly go to the government.

“These are ideals in the Shared Prosperity Vision 2030,” said Dr Mahathir who is also Bersatu chairman.

Dr Mahathir also reminded Malaysians to be grateful for and value what they have.

“It’s the same as our health, we usually don’t value it until we fall ill,” he said, in reference to the country that is still peaceful despite the change of government in May last year.

Dr Mahathir also said the change was by the power of the people where they decided.

“In the 14th general election, it’s the people that gave their biggest support to PH.

“Now, it’s not easy to feel good without disease. But with a government that can administer well, the disease can be cured.

“And this is what I mean by good health,” said the seventh prime minister, referring to the PH government’s effort in cleaning up and improving the country’s economy.

Meanwhile, Muhyiddin urged voters in Tanjung Piai to vote wisely and pick a candidate that is able to continue with development in the constituency.

The Pagoh MP, who is also the PH election director, said voters in the constituency understood that this by-election would not change the government either at the state or at federal level.

“However, if they wrongly choose then the next three and a half years will be a long time where problems would not be solved if the elected representative comes from the Opposition,” he said in his speech during the ceramah.

Muhyiddin, who is also the home minister, said that so far, almost RM20 million in allocation has been approved by the federal government for development projects in Tanjung Piai.

He assured the people that the PH government would also focus on several issues in Tanjung Piai, such as the cost of living, employment, health, tourism to help improve the people’s wellbeing.

Muhyiddin said he had discussed the matter with the Johor mentri besar, where the state government would look into the matter if PH wins the by-election.

The Tanjung Piai by-election will see a six-way contest between PH’s Karmaine, BN’s Datuk Seri Wee Jeck Seng, Gerakan’s Wendy Subramaniam, Berjasa’s Datuk Badhrulhisham Abdul Aziz, and two independent candidates Ang Chuan Lock and Faridah Aryani Abdul Ghaffar.

Polling is scheduled for this Saturday.