Pakatan Rakyat today poured scorn on the government's New Economic Model (NEM), claiming that it was copied from the opposition coalition's Malaysian Economic Agenda (MEA).

Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim said Pakatan has identified several key features in the NEM which have stark similarities to the MEA.

NONE "One cannot help but wonder whether the crux of his speech yesterday was an extraction of Pakatan Rakyat's MEA.

"The pillars of NEM sound very familiar to those who are accustomed to MEA," he told a press conference in Parliament today.

"The prime minister stressed on the need to attain high economy, achieve sustainability and promote inclusiveness in driving the economy, especially in moving towards needs-based affirmative action," said Anwar.

He said that the similar ideas were stated in the Pakatan's manifesto for the 2008 general elections.

The opposition's coalition also accused that Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak, who ignored Parliament and announced the NEM instead at the Invest Malaysia conference yesterday, of belittling the status of the august House.

Anwar pointed out that although the government admits that the economy needs a major overhaul, it refuses to embark on structural reforms of public institutions, as well as practices and policies that have been an impediment to growth.

"There was hardly any mention of concrete actions to bring credibility to the judiciary or reforms in other government institutions.

"In the end, the announcement of NEM became another confirmation that this government is driven by public relations - what more with its association with (global consultancy firm) Apco - and lacks the political will and courage to carry out all the necessary reforms to save the country," said Anwar.

Concern over abuse of EPF

Also present at the press conference today were PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang, DAP supremo Lim Kit Siang and PKR president Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, among others.

azlan Anwar lamented that there was no real commitment to structural reforms.

"The issue is that this is not merely a public relations exercise. Is there a commitment to reform? Free media? RTM, TV3, and Utusan (Malaysia) is controlled fully by the government, which mean that you are not able to receive criticisms or views," he said.

"(What about) the issues of judicial independence, transparency and procurement policies? You say that you want to privatise, but to whom? First to EPF (Employees Providence Fund) and then transfer it to your crony companies?" asked Anwar.

He also expressed concern that the EPF, which has RM360 billion in assets, would be abused by the government following Najib announced that the pension fund will be allowed to invest overseas as well as to sell some of its shares to boost liquidity in the stock market.

"EPF has been actively used and there is danger that it is being utilised as a temporary body before the assets are transferred to company associated with (BN) leaders and their cronies.”

On a related development, Anwar said that Pakatan is looking at forming state and parliamentary divisions.

Commenting on the upcoming Hulu Selangor by-election, he said Pakatan has agreed that the candidate will come from PKR, but the party has yet to decide on who to field.

"I will discuss with Hadi and Kit Siang before we name our candidate," said Anwar.

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