DAP has announced a slew of promises that it will implement should Pakatan Rakyat seize Putrajaya in the next general election.

At a press conference today, party secretary-general Lim Guan Eng reiterated yet again his promise that RM1,000 would be given to senior citizens, whom he defines as those aged 60 and above, as part of the government's annual welfare contribution.

Also promised is the abolishment of the saman ekor , a notorious form of traffic fines, and the practice of blacklisting vehicle owners from renewing their road tax should they fail to pay outstanding summonses.

NONE "We will also provide a free Wi-Fi service for the whole of Malaysia," said Lim, who is also Penang chief minister, at the DAP headquarters in Petaling Jaya. 

He said all DAP leaders have been instructed to explain these three “policy initiatives” during their ceramah rounds.

When asked how these policies would be financed, Lim said the state could afford it if it reigns down on corruption and leakages.

“It is already estimated that Malaysia loses at least RM28 billion through corruption every year. We’re not talking about wiping out corruption completely, but just whacking it a bit,” he said.

He also brushed aside suggestions that he was indulging in vote-buying.

“It’s not election time yet, how to buy votes? There is always nothing wrong with giving money to the people,” he said.

'PAS and PKR gave green light'

He also denied that these were populist measures, saying that they have already been implemented in many other countries, and cited Thailand as an example while waving an issue of the international business weekly The Economist .

NONE “We don’t want to focus too much on the faults of Barisan Nasional, but we just want to highlight on what we can offer,” said Lim.

He also said he had obtained the green light for the three measures from Pakatan allies PKR and PAS.

“I spoke to Anwar (Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim) and he said ‘OK lah !’,” said Lim.

“We want to show that DAP is not anti-Malay or anti-Islam or that we’re a communist party. We don't have links to any communist party, unlike Umno, which just signed an agreement with the communist party in China,” he said.

NONE Umno recently signed a memorandum of understanding with the ruling Communist Party of China to exchange youth leaders to have a “better understanding of the economic and social development of Malaysia and China”.

Meanwhile, Lim condemned the recent death threats made against Petaling Jaya Utara MP Tony Pua, urging the police to take action.

Pua on Wednesday afternoon received an intimidating note and an M16 bullet, sent by post from Tangkak, Johor, to his service centre in Damansara Utama.