Mahathir cautions of complacency in polls<\/p>\n
KUALA LUMPUR (Reuter): Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir
\nMohamad warned his ruling coalition yesterday against complacency
\nas he launched his election manifesto for this month's national
\nelection.<\/p>\n
\"There is a danger of complacency in our campaign as many say
\nwe will get a landslide victory. We have to guard against that,\"
\nMahathir told reporters in Malaysia's capital Kuala Lumpur in his
\nbid for his fourth consecutive term.<\/p>\n
\"My experience as a candidate who has won and lost shows that
\nno one can predict an election result. We have to work hard to
\nwin,\" he said. Mahathir lost in his Kedah state constituency in
\n1969 elections.<\/p>\n
Political analysts say Mahathir's 14-member National Front
\ncoalition should easily maintain its two-thirds majority in the
\npolls on April 24 and 25 against a divided opposition and with
\nMalaysia experiencing unprecedented prosperity.<\/p>\n
The economy has been growing at eight percent for the last
\nseven years and the main opposition Democratic Action Party (DAP)
\nconcedes it is all but impossible to beat the coalition.<\/p>\n
The resource-strapped DAP says the country needs an opposition
\nand voters should ensure it is not wiped out.<\/p>\n
Mahathir is appealing to voters to maintain his two-thirds
\nmajority in the new 192-seat parliament -- the margin needed to
\npass constitutional amendments.<\/p>\n
\"We have the vision to continue development and progress,\" he
\nsaid when launching the National Front's manifesto and election
\nslogan: \"Vision, Justice and Efficiency\".<\/p>\n
Mahathir said his coalition is making reasonable promises,
\nunlike the opposition which has vowed political, economic and
\nsocial reforms together with a series of tax concessions.<\/p>\n
\"The opposition can promise a lot because they know they have
\na slim chance of winning,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Mahathir said his government is guiding Malaysia towards
\nbecoming a fully-industrialized country in the next 25 years, a
\ngoal dubbed \"Vision 2020\".<\/p>\n
\"The National Front government will ensure an average seven
\npercent growth over the next 25 years, turning the per capita
\nincome from some 9,000 ringgit (US$3,600) now to 40,000 ringgit
\n($16,000) in 2020, more if the dollar drops,\" Mahathir said.<\/p>\n
Mahathir's coalition is backed by all the main newspapers, as
\nwell as the corporate community.<\/p>\n
The opposition has criticized the short official campaign
\nperiod -- nine days -- and their lack of access to television.<\/p>\n
They have complained that Malaysia's two television stations
\nare giving extensive coverage to Mahathir and members of his
\ncabinet and their attacks on the opposition, while they have been
\ndenied access.<\/p>\n
The government has banned all parties from campaigning on
\ntelevision, but is allocating time for them on radio. The
\nInformation ministry says television coverage of Mahathir and his
\nministers is strictly for news value.<\/p>\n
Mahathir said the National Front will issue an additional
\nmanifesto for Kelantan, the only opposition-ruled state.<\/p>\n
The National Front lost all 39 state seats in the 1990
\nelections to a coalition comprising the fundamentalist Moslem
\nPan-Malaysian Islamic (PAS) party and the Spirit of '46 (Semangat
\n46) Malay party.<\/p>",
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