SEBERANG PERAI, Aug 1 — Pakatan Harapan (PH) and Barisan Nasional (BN) unveiled tonight the Penang unity manifesto for the state election next week, with a focus on social development.

The manifesto, tabled by Penang Unity Manifesto committee chairman Zairil Khir Johari, spelled out the coalitions’ pledges to uplift the state over the next five years if it were to win the state election.

"This manifesto is a continuance of policies and performance of our PH state government for the past 15 years,” he said at the manifesto launching ceremony at Butterworth Arena.

He said the manifesto contains 50 items under 16 main themes.

It is based on the Penang 2030 Vision to enhance the quality of life, raise household income, strengthen civic participation, and improve resilience.

"One of the themes is to uphold the Islamic faith based on the Malaysia Madani principle,” he said.

He said Penang has always focused on developing and strengthening the Islamic faith in its policies.

Among the other main themes included infrastructure development, balanced rural development, human capital development and housing for all.

The top of the 15 highlights in the manifesto was to set up a State Social Development Fund from the collection of medical health fees on foreigners to benefit the needy.

The manifesto also promised cash handouts to state residents, such as a one-off RM1,000 assistance to each Hajj pilgrim from the B40 group; RM600 annual assistance to e-hailing, taxi and school bus drivers and personal accident insurance for p-hailing (motorcycle) riders; and one-off RM500 Golden Couple Programme for newly married couples.

Livelihood support for farmers and vegetable growers and assistance for fishermen will be provided while B40 students who receive offers to public institutions of higher learning will be given free laptops.

There will also be allocations such as RM60 million for aided schools by the year 2030; RM10 million for Non-Islamic Places of Worship (RIBI) until 2028 and an annual grant of RM2 million to non-governmental organisations.

As for infrastructure projects, Zairil said they will develop the "Silicon Island” and a Meditech City to attract high-impact investments.

The manifesto also included pledges to construct the Tanjung Bungah-Teluk Bahang Dual Carriageway, a diverging diamond interchange at the Juru Interchange, the Sungai Bakap Bypass Road, and to complete the construction of the Ayer Itam Bypass Road to the Tun Dr Lim Chong Eu Expressway.

The construction of the Penang Light Rail Transit (LRT) and the Bukit Bendera Cable Car will also commence.

As for housing, a total 220,000 affordable housing units of which up to 100,000 units will be offered through the "B40 Affordable Housing” scheme at a price of RM100,000 to RM150,000 as well as 22,000 rent-to-own units by 2030.

A Special Rental Housing Scheme for youth or single individuals will also be introduced.