SHAH ALAM, Nov 5 — Perikatan Nasional (PN) unveiled its first general election manifesto tonight, pledging to proceed with the Budget 2023 initiatives proposed by caretaker prime minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob’s government.
PN chairman Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin told a packed hall at the Glenmarie Hotel and Golf Resort here that the coalition would create 1 million high-paying job opportunities in the digital economy and futures sector.
In addition, he said an allocation amounting to RM1 billion for the Fund for Food fund will be provided to increase the production of the country's food supply and stabilise food prices.
"We will also ensure that the people get job opportunities, especially in the high-income sector. Perikatan Nasional offers the creation of one million jobs in high-income areas over the next few years.
"Some people ask, can we do it? I answered yes. Why? Because we have experience,” the National Recovery Council chairman told hundreds in the audience.
The two offers were among the 50 main offers in PN's manifesto under 12 pillars, 30 approaches and 234 total offers.
The manifesto's main pillar is to build an economy for the future so Malaysia can become the new axis of economy in Southeast Asia in the future.
Along with the two aforementioned offers, Muhyiddin also said PN wants to launch an Investment Promotion Special Fund amounting to RM5 billion to encourage high-tech industries to increase added value and provide high-income jobs, especially for young workers.
"In order to speed up the national economic recovery process, we will develop competitive micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) as the main driver of economic growth and to continue the programme of scheduling or financing restructuring or a targeted moratorium to help the affected MSMEs.
"In addition, special MSME Prihatin Scheme incentives will be provided to encourage digitisation of product and service production as well as skills training,” he said, adding that PN wants to develop the agricultural sector and the food industry more vigorously.
"In order to guarantee adequate food supply to the people at a reasonable price, six National Food Production Mega Hubs will be established in strategic areas with a comprehensive land use plan for the purpose of food production, availability and distribution towards achieving national self-sufficiency,” he said.
PN also mooted the creation of a single agency that will function as a one-stop centre that will coordinate the provision of various forms of assistance and subsidies to the people.
"With the existence of this single agency, data on people who need help will be collected in real-time and put into a single database so that help can be channelled promptly and no one who deserves to be left behind from receiving help.
"We will also continue to strengthen the Poverty Eradication Agenda and close the economic gap between races, social classes and regions he said.
Muhyiddin said PN also promised to increase allocation for health to more than 5 per cent of the gross domestic product (GDP) and tax relief up to RM3,000 to promote healthy lifestyle as well as yearly increment of RM100 per month to civil servants along with the increase of their Cost of Living Allowance (COLA) for them.
For East Malaysia, PN promised to directly pay the state government for petroleum products and to speed up the implementation of the Malaysia Agreement 1963.
For youths and first-time voters, PN said it would offer senator quotas for youths, 25 per cent discount for the National Higher Education Fund (PTPTN) repayments, and introduce a youth micro-housing scheme in major cities.
"I would like to emphasise that this Perikatan Nasional offer is an offer that can be implemented. With the experience we have as a government, we are confident that all these offers can be implemented efficiently and effectively with the support of all civil servants, government agencies, GLCs and private entities,” he said.
