The government's policies are fine but they could hardly be achieved within its scheduled one year in office, several members of the National Legislative Assembly said yesterday.

Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont read out the new administration's policy statement to the 242-member legislature.

His administration has the backing of the coup leaders, who now sit on the powerful Council for National Security. The coup-makers have promised to return power to an elected government within a year.

NLA member Prasong Soonsiri criticised the government for espousing unrealistic policies, which could hardly be delivered in the limited time given to the interim government.

He urged the administration to prove that its allegations - including those of corruption and lese majeste - against the government of deposed premier Thaksin Shinawatra were real.

That was the rationale of the coup-makers for seizing power from an elected government.

He warned that unless the government could prove the allegations, the upcountry masses, who were still loyal to Thaksin, would not regard the military takeover as a means to national reconciliation but instead see it as an unfair action.

He said that almost two months after the coup, many people have shown they are not happy with the new rulers, who have shared some of their power with the government and the National Legislative Assembly.

The two parties should cooperate more closely to prove that the irregularities had actually occurred, particularly the graft scandals, he said.

Another legislator, Wutthipong Priabchariyawat, was disappointed with the new government's policy platform, saying it mentioned nothing about solving the national crises.

Instead of closing loopholes that led to widespread political abuse, the government gave priority to trivial matters such as reducing the national lottery's jackpot and banning all booze advertisements, he said.

Wutthipong slammed the government for picking misfits for the Cabinet.

Energy Minister Piyasvasti Amranand was no better than Thaksin's men because he had supported the privatisation of state enterprises just like the Thaksin government did.

Education Minister Wijit Srisa-an was involved in drafting the national education law, which had caused trouble for educational reform, while deputy premiers Pridiyathorn Devakula and Kosit Panpiemras had worked for private banks.

"Nothing seems to change, so they will hardly serve the needs of the people," he said.

Wallop Tangkhananurak said the government's policies had failed to boost the public's confidence. As the new administration had to prove itself to the people, he suggested the government should convince them how it would translate its four main policies into effective action.

The four policies are: anti-corruption, political reform, sufficiency economy and national reconciliation.

"The government should try to convert their vision into action," he said.

Fellow NLA member Praphan Khunmee agreed the Surayud government was under pressure from the people.

"However, today we know that the overthrown government was not moral, so the current government should instill morality and ethics and show that they can do this," he said.

Praphan added the government should draw up its model political plan quickly to hasten political reform. Meanwhile, it has to reveal to the common man how the Thaksin government had conflicts of interest with the people, for example in the Shin Corp sale.

He called on the government to amend some laws relating to corruption, including allowing the general public to file complaints against government officials and politicians.