KUALA SELANGOR – Rivals may mock Pakatan Harapan (PH) for supposedly being a failed government of 22 months, but for Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad, that span of less than two years has given voters a glimpse of what the coalition can offer in a full term.
“Oh, please. Just look at our track record,” the PH candidate for Kuala Selangor told The Vibes here yesterday, when met during his campaign trail.
“In 22 months, we delivered about 60% of what we promised in our manifesto. You give us 60 months, we would have done more than 100%.”
Dr Dzulkefly was commenting on political opponents using PH’s short stint in federal power as political fodder to attack the coalition for purportedly failing in its administration of the country.
These political assaults have intensified in recent weeks, as parties campaign for votes ahead of polling day on November 19.
Not too pleased by the accusations, Dr Dzulkefly listed a long list of PH’s accomplishments during its short-lived stint in Putrajaya.
Among other things, he noted how the coalition was able to improve the country’s corruption perception index ranking and ensured good governance, which he described as being huge successes.
“We also managed to control prices of daily needs like chicken, reduced the price of internet use, maintained inflation rates at a minimal level, saved Tabung Haji, and brought down toll charges.
“That manifesto back then was meant to be for five years, not two. I can debate anyone who says the manifesto is not a holy book,” he said.
Dr Dzulkefly was part of the PH administration that was formed in May 2018 – serving as the then health minister – before it collapsed in February 2020 after Bersatu and several PKR leaders defected from the coalition to form a new government under Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin’s leadership.
The country witnessed yet another change of administration in August 2021, following internal struggles between the parties within the government bloc, eventually leading to the appointment of Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob as the ninth prime minister.
The events that unfolded during this period, however, have not dampened PH’s spirit, Dr Dzulkefly said, with the coalition raring to go at it again and complete any unfinished business.
Even in the health sector, the Amanah leader said he still personally has a score to settle.
“There is a lot that I want to do. I made it clear back then, and presented it to (then prime minister) Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad. Some have been taken up by (caretaker health minister) Khairy Jamaluddin, but there are still things I want to do.
“For instance, the backbone of digital health is electronic medical records and lifetime health records. These are somehow stalled, despite me emphasising this to him (Khairy).
“There are things I saw in the Health White Paper, they were almost 90% ours. But I could sense they don’t know its dynamics, and how to operationalise it.
“And people are just waiting for us to come back, and we will deliver all these in the best of ways,” he said.
Dr Dzulkefly added that under its new manifesto, PH has much more to offer the rakyat this time, if it is given the mandate to rule.
“The manifesto is just mind-blowing. Health is certainly one (of the focuses). I can go on and on about how convincing and appealing this manifesto is. It is really something to look forward to.”
Dr Dzulkefly is defending his Kuala Selangor seat in a four-cornered fight, which also features Barisan Nasional’s caretaker finance minister Datuk Seri Tengku Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz, Perikatan Nasional’s Mohd Noor Mohd Sahar, and Gerakan Tanah Air’s Mohd Shaid Rosli. – The Vibes, November 13, 2022
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