SHAH ALAM – The opposition claims that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim is inconsistent in his stance regarding the national debt.
Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) Supreme Leadership Council member Datuk Rosol Wahid said when Anwar was in the opposition, he was vocal in criticising the government when the national debt increased.
However, he said Anwar had taken actions similar to those he once opposed by increasing the debt after coming to power.
"Previously, he (Anwar) criticised the government, saying it couldn't manage the country when the debt increased by billions. That was when he was in the opposition.
"When he is in power, he says the government has to borrow to pay off debt, for development and so on. This means he doesn't practice what he preaches," he said when contacted by Sinar.
He said this when asked to comment on Anwar, who reportedly asked critics to check their facts before criticising the national debt.
On Monday, Anwar said the country had to borrow money every year to pay off previous debts, including those related to 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB), as well as for infrastructure.
However, Rosol emphasised that if Anwar was consistent, he would need to maintain his previous stance of not borrowing when in power.
"Previously, when he went abroad, he announced billions in funds and investments coming into the country. Where is that money now? Based on those announcements, it seemed like the government wouldn't need to borrow anymore because many foreign investors were coming in.
"But so far, nothing has happened. The people are increasingly pressured and the cost of living is rising," claimed the Hulu Terengganu MP.
Rosol further explained that the national debt rate should not exceed 65 per cent of the Gross Domestic Product.
However, he said the current debt rate was approaching that level, putting the country at risk of bankruptcy and potentially listing it among countries with high debt levels like Greece and Sri Lanka.
Therefore, Rosol urged the government to take drastic steps to generate income from all available sources to prevent the country from continuing to borrow.
"Look at the time when Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad ruled during the economic recession in 1997. At that time, Anwar wanted to borrow from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), but Tun didn't allow it.
"Instead, Tun M generated all the income within the country," he said.
However, based on a check by Sinar, there was no record showing that Anwar borrowed or received funds from the IMF as Rosol claimed.