LETTER | Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad's open admission that Pakatan Harapan's manifesto for the 14th general election is akin to an albatross around the coalition's neck is most disturbing.

Further to express his honest opinion that when Harapan inked the promises it did so with full understanding that the coalition was not going to win the GE14 sounds much like a betrayal.

Well, let us not get into the academics. The opposition is going to have a field day.

Perhaps here are some common sense remedies that the prime minister may want to tackle to make the manifesto ease the Harapan government's burden.

First, slash all outrageous pay packets of the senior managements of government-linked companies (GLCs) and immediately tie it to performance incentives.

Second, slash all business profiteering of politicians or their families who are still being rewarded or were beneficiaries of the past government's gravy trains.

Third, get the government enforcement machineries to breathe down hard on all law breakers, ranging from from traffic rule disobedience we witness everyday, and all the way to business and public servant cheats.

Fourth, cut off the dependency on migrant workers, which makes raking profits for agencies and government so lucrative. And go all out to deport all the illegal migrant population that is in the millions.

Fight corruption with all your might

Fifth, review all businesses that have vested and private interests, particular those charged with the responsibilities of caring for country and rakyat. This must include families with royal ties, to say the least.

Sixth, take back all the hordes of capital gains political parties made through their absolute power and control arms, which we now know run into multi-billions of ringgit.

Seventh, fight corruption with all your might. We have the resources to do it. Only the will is questionable.

Eighth, if Malaysians were willing to contribute their hard earned money contributing to the Tabung Harapan Rakyat, there should be no excuse why the manifesto is an albatross.

You must have the courage to state openly that you should not have sold a hope if you did not believe Harapan will emerge the victor.

The people wanted Harapan to win. They made you win. So nothing - facts or fiction - should be the excuse for failure.

We can do it as a nation of people. Tun, we are behind you. Let the journey proceed.

The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of Malaysiakini.