KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 1 — Lim Guan Eng asserted today that a Pakatan Harapan federal government would be able to continue giving cash aid to Malaysians even after abolishing Barisan Nasional’s (BN) Goods and Services Tax (GST) system.

The administration would also be clean and transparent, allowing Malaysians the liberty to choose between holding down just one job or taking on two, the DAP secretary-general added, taking a dig at Umno deputy minister Datuk Ahmad Maslan over his recent “two jobs” gaffe.

“Under PH, Malaysians do not need to hold at least 2 jobs to survive,” Lim said in his New Year message.

“PH will lighten the burden of 30 million Malaysians by abolishing the GST.

“Malaysians can still afford to receive BR1M payouts without the GST by running a clean government and conducting open competitive tenders,” he added, referring to the 1Malaysia People’s Aid cash incentive system introduced by the Najib administration.

Lim said that by suggesting Malaysians needed two jobs to survive, Ahmad essentially conceded that the BN federal government has failed to manage the economy well.

He claimed the GST, rolled out last April by Putrajaya; the RM42 billion 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) debt controversy and the series of price hikes announced for the year have collectively made it tough for the public to survive on just one job.

On that note, he said, Ahmad was correct to say Malaysians may now need two jobs to make ends meet.

Lim also criticised Ahmad for defending his remarks by claiming that he does three jobs as an MP, deputy minister and Umno information chief, saying it showed how “out of touch” the deputy minister was with realities on the ground.

“Unlike the ordinary rakyat, Ahmad Maslan is highly paid (some say overpaid) for doing 3 jobs,” the Penang lawmaker claimed; Ahmad earns RM16,000 as MP and RM18,168 as deputy minister.

On his part, Lim said that although he also performs many duties both in his role as Penang chief minister and as a DAP leader, his only job is to serve the people.

“The time has come for Malaysians to put BN leaders like Ahmad Maslan out of their jobs so we can live with economic dignity with one job and choose with our own free will or volition if we wish to work two jobs.

“Malaysians do not deserve such economic servitude from BN,” he said.

Ahmad sparked backlash when he reportedly said recently that it was not wrong to hold two jobs in Malaysia to address the rising cost of living.

He later sought to defend himself from the criticism by saying he held three jobs but only received further flak for confusing his positions in government and Umno as work.

The deputy minister then insisted that his remarks had been spun out of context and that he had meant that Malaysians could hold side jobs to earn extra income.