The people are becoming concerned that the current government appears to be increasingly uncertain about decisions involving the country’s economy, according to a statement issued by Umno’s strategic communications unit today.

This included being “trapped” amid various proposals that were “suddenly raised by certain parties”, including the disposal of a 25% stake in Petroliam Nasional Bhd (Petronas) to service 1Malaysia Development Bhd’s (1MDB) debts and the federal debt that was announced at RM1 trillion.

“Please stop politicising the national debt. Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng himself confirmed that the federal debt was only RM686.8 billion and not RM1 trillion,” it said.

The government should think of ways to boost Petronas’s domestic and overseas performance, increase foreign holdings and raise income instead of taking the easy way out to source money in order to fulfil its manifesto pledges, said the party.

Umno also said the Barisan Nasional administration had managed the country’s debts well and never failed to repay debts while, at the same time, spurring the country’s rapid economic growth.

It added that the Pakatan Harapan government was reluctant to recognise the economic growth target of 5.9%, the projections made by the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund, and 1MDB’s ability to repay its debts with its own assets.