KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 25 (Bernama) -- Giving the commitment that the Barisan Nasional (BN) government will continue to work with the people, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said today that the BN's promises were realistic and the coalition was accountable for them.

The prime minister said the BN made its promises with the awareness and commitment to implement them, adding that they were not empty promises like those made by the desperate opposition parties.

"We promise to continue to work with the people. We promise to manage and expand the country's finances prudently," he said when launching the BN's progress report and election manifesto at the Putra World Trade Centre, here.

He said the BN government did not manage the country's finances at its whims and fancies, and had proven its capability which has won the confidence of investors.

While the BN government gives subsidies and exercises thrift, the country is still able to achieve development in various fields, he said.

The progress report outlines the successes achieved by the BN government in administrating the country between 2004 and 2007 following the last general election in 2004.

The manifesto contains the BN's promises to lead the country to greater success if given the new mandate in this general election. The BN chairman said the opposition parties, which had different ideologies and were not serious about their alliance, would not be able to convince the people with their promises ensuring national development.

"The opposition parties have released their manifesto separately. They are unlike the BN manifesto which was drawn up with the consensus of the leaders of the component parties representing every level of society," he said.

Abdullah said he hoped that the BN under his leadership would obtain the mandate and support of the people so that the success achieved thus far could be stepped up in the future.

"The BN wants to continue working with the people. The BN will work to fulfill the people's needs. God willing, with the cooperation and mandate of the people, we will achieve the target to take the country to excellence, glory and distinction," he said.

Abdullah said all programmes were worked out and implemented in the interests of the people, giving priority to their wellbeing and the nation's progress.

He said the BN government had proven its capability in managing the economy well and to ensuring that the nation was on track to bring greater prosperity to the people.

"The BN government is committed (to ensuring) that no one is marginalised from national development for the sake of the wellbeing of the people regardless of race," he said.

He said the rate of poverty had been reduced drastically and the gap in income between the urban and rural areas had been narrowed.

The implementation of the National Mission, the development of five corridors, the empowering of the public service institutions, the police and government-linked companies as well as human capital development were among the numerous efforts undertaken by the BN government, he said.

Abdullah said that although the BN government had implemented many things, a lot more needed to be done, including intensifying the battle against crime.

"The BN government is ready to bring to fruition all that it promised," he said.

He said the BN government was always concerned about the people's welfare and had spent RM43.4 billion in subsidising fuel prices so that they would not be unnecessarily burdened by the rise in world oil prices.

"We will do all we can to ensure the people are not burdened," he said.

Abdullah said the government also spent RM29 billion for education and RM9 billion for health.

"In Malaysia, the people only spend two per cent for the cost of managing their health while the balance 98 per cent is borne by the government," he said.

"BN's reliability is its commitment not to give in to any challenge, obstacle or hurdle in order to deliver its promises to the people and the nation," he said.

Abdullah said that in having administered the nation for 50 years, the BN government was well placed to face challenges.

He said the BN had carried out all that it had promised the people based on the mandate given by them.

"We walk the talk," he said.

He said the progress report contained 76 key items carried out by the BN government from 2004 to 2007 after receiving the mandate from the people in the last election.

He said that this was the first time the BN government was tabling a progress report on the achievements it had made and that some of promises were being implemented under the Ninth Malaysia Plan.

Quoted From
BERNAMA 

Wednesday, 27 Feb 2008