KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia's Prime Minister Najib Razak pledged to combat corruption in the country as part of his re-election campaign, which kicked off in earnest this past week after he dissolved Parliament and announced national elections. Najib promised more specialist graft courts and greater public disclosure of government contracts if the National Front is allowed to extend its 55 years of unbroken rule, according to a manifesto he unveiled at his first election rally since dissolving parliament on April 3. Among the pledges are improved health care and transportation, including a high-speed rail link between Kuala Lumpur and Singapore. He was also apologetic to Malaysians, in an apparent effort to win more support in what is expected to be a tight race. “My sincere apologies to all Malaysians if we have done anything wrong," the prime minister said in speech last night, broadcast live on national television. “At the end of the day, we are ordinary humans. If we are given a strong mandate, I can assure you that we will do better in the next five years." But the opposition, led by Anwar Ibrahim, continue to lash out at the Prime Minister and his party, saying they have done little to earn the country's support in the general election. “We have seen this type of political game over and over again,” an opposition leader from Perak told Bikyanews.com. “It is time that Malaysians say enough of the lies and vote for change. We know it won't be easy, but we are ready for the challenges ahead.” And they face an uphill battle. In the lead-up to the polls, Najib has boosted government spending, distributed a second round of cash handouts to the poor, and raised salaries of civil servants, police and the military. He also delayed implementing a goods-and-services tax and froze plans to wind back state subsidies on essential items. There would be more handouts for the poor, and car costs and broadband fees would be lowered, the manifesto said. The Election Commission meets next week to set a date for polls. BN
