Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak said the opposition does not have any positive agenda for the nation and that the people cannot depend on them to ensure a future which is progressive and prosperous.

He said the parties and their leaders in the opposition could only "attack" and criticise the government with accusations which were illogical and irrational.

"Like for example when the price of petrol went up (because the price of oil in the international market went up), they said the prime minister (PM) increased it. Who did they (the opposition) blame? The PM.

"When the price of petrol came down, they said it was the market price (because the price came down in the global market). That is not fair. If the price goes up, I am criticised, if the price comes down, then I should be praised," he said.

Najib said this when launching the 'Ekpresi Negaraku' programme at the Sandakan Municipal Field today.

Also present were Sabah Chief Minister Musa Aman, Communications and Multimedia Minister Salleh Said Keruak, several state and federal cabinet ministers as well as community leaders.

He said another example was that when the government brought in Chinese investors, the opposition accused it of selling off the country's sovereignty, but when the government made the decision to cancel an investment agreement, the opposition questioned that, too.

As such, Najib said, the people cannot place their hopes on the opposition parties and leadership because their struggle was for their own political interests and not for the future of the people and nation.

"Which (opposition party) can set up a stable government. Parti Keadilan Rakyat thinks of something the DAP thinks differently. Mahathir has a different view. Dr Wan Azizah thinks of something else. Muhyiddin has different thoughts, Shafie has other thoughts.

"Look at their statements. All sorts of comments. Today they say something, tomorrow they say something else. That is why I say they are experts at 'U' turns,"he said.

Najib also said the opposition parties were trying to trick the people by promising that if they came to power, they would abolish the Goods and Services Tax (GST) and they questioned where the remainder of the RM41 bilion GST collected by the government each year after the RM6 billion which has been given to the people through the 1Malaysia People's Aid (BR1M) went.

"Where did the remainder of the money go to? It went to our security forces, our schools, our teachers, our hospitals, our doctors, nurses, roads, water and many other things for the well-being of our people," stressed Najib.

"Don't lie. If they win, they said they would abolish the GST. It is easy to talk, talk is cheap. But if we take out RM41 billion from the budget, how do we make up for it?"

"Where do we get RM41 billion? Maybe by letting go of civil servants. may their allowances have to be cut. Maybe do away with BR1M, maybe don't have people's housing projects, maybe no roads, maybe postpone the Pan-Borneo Highway," he said.

Najib reminded the opposition parties not to lie to the people by making senseless criticisms because ultimately, it is the people and the nation that will be affected whereas the BN government wants to do so much more more to help the people.

In the case of Sabah and its people, Najib said he was always concerned about the wishes and wants of the state government under Musa's leadership.

"Musa as chief minister always writes to me and always meets me. I like giving in to him because he does it properly. He does not make open statements. He comes to see me because we are one family, the BN family," he said.

- Bernama