Opposition parliamentarians have given the thumbs-down to the Ninth Malaysian Plan (9MP) mid-term review report unveiled by Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi in Parliament today.

kamaruddin jaafar Kamaruddin Jaffar (PAS-Tumpat) said the report did not tackle the current pressures felt by the people as a result of the rise in fuel prices and other costs of living.

"Our expectation was that the prime minister would come out with some announcements on how to solve the pressing question of the hardships face by the rakyat .

"Unfortunately, nothing came out [...] it’s far from expectations," said the PAS MP - who is also the party’s secretary-general - when met at the Parliament’s lobby after the tabling of the report.

His colleague, Dr Hatta Ramli (PAS-Kuala Krai), also said he was expecting some new measures from the government such as a pay rise for civil servants.

lim kit siang 03 Veteran politico Lim Kit Siang (DAP-Ipoh Timur) described the mid-term review report as ‘nothing much exciting’.

He quipped that he only found the end of Abdullah’s speech - when the premier attacked the opposition for trying to ‘grab power’ - as exciting.

Towards the end of the speech, Abdullah departed from his prepared text and rapped the opposition for trying to topple the government following BN’s slim victory in the March 8 general elections.

‘Not thought out’

In a posting on his weblog later, Lim criticised Abdullah for not making any reference in his speech to the government’s decision to shelve the Penang monorail and outer ring road projects.

"Is this because Abdullah finds it difficult to rebut charges that such cancellations have vengeful and vindictive motives - especially when Abdullah could recently announce billion-ringgit ang pow to Sabah and Sarawak to placate Sabah and Sarawak feelings of alienation and marginalisation?" he asked.

dr wan azizah Parliamentary opposition leader Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail (PKR-Permatang Pauh) meanwhile said the mid-term review report was ‘nothing new’.

She criticised the recent hefty increase in fuel prices by the government saying the move lacked proper planning. It could have been introduced gradually, she added.

"When it raised the fuel price, the government did not seem to have thought it out thoroughly (but) immediately introduced the cash rebate," she said.

Deputy Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak, however, has defended the report, saying that measures outlined in the speech highlighted the government’s commitment in eradicating hardcore poverty in the country.