PPBM Youth chief Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman, while launching the initiative titled “Bicara Wawasan 2020” at a PPBM fundraising dinner here last night, said the style would be similar to that of BN’s National Transformation 2050 (TN50).
“The townhall concept is similar, but BN’s TN50 is targeting to have the input they gather implemented by 2050, which is still a long time to go.
“The input we receive through our Bicara Wawasan 2020, will be turned into policies and implemented fully after we take over the government, and fulfilled by 2020,” he said.
PPBM leaders, including its chairman Dr Mahathir Mohamad, president Muhyiddin Yassin, and deputy president Mukhriz Mahathir are among those who would lead the townhall sessions, according to Syed Saddiq.
He said the party aimed to have the first session in a month’s time.
Wawasan 2020, or Vision 2020, was Mahathir’s brainchild introduced during the tabling of the Sixth Malaysia Plan in 1991. Its goal was to have Malaysia become a self-sufficient industrialised nation.
TN50 on the other hand, is a new 30-year transformation plan announced by Prime Minister Najib Razak at the 2017 Budget tabling in October last year.
Mahathir has repeatedly condemned the TN50 initiative, saying that the goal to achieve this new agenda by 2050 is “so far ahead” that most Malaysians would be gone by the time these changes are implemented.
On a separate matter, Syed Saddiq said over RM122,000 was raised at PPBM’s first-ever fundraising dinner last night. Part of the money, RM16,400 to be exact, was raised from auctioning items belonging to PPBM’s top three leaders.
Mahathir’s signature bush-jacket was sold at RM5,000 while his Gucci blue tie was bought by a PPBM member for RM2,300.
The batik shirt Muhyiddin wore during his time as a deputy prime minister was sold at RM1,600. His luxury branded bag, with his initials imprinted on it, was sold for RM2,000.
Meanwhile, Mukhriz’s Mont Blanc pen which he used to sign official documents when he was the Kedah menteri besar was auctioned of at RM3,000 and his “songket” brought in RM2,500 to the party’s coffers.