By Danial Dzulkifly
SHAH ALAM, July 31 — In a significant move, Pakatan Harapan (Harapan) and its new political ally, Barisan Nasional (BN), have jointly launched their manifesto for Selangor, presenting 53 major offers under five main thrusts for the coming five years.
The manifesto, unveiled by Selangor Menteri Besar Dato’ Seri Amirudin Shari, outlines various initiatives aimed at advancing the state’s development, including creating 100,000 new high-paying jobs in the state.
“As part of the offer (on ensuring economic superiority and offering employment opportunities), our main focus will be on establishing a high-income economy by generating 100,000 high-paying jobs within the state over the next five years.
“This isn’t merely an empty promise; it’s an achievable objective, considering that the state administration has already successfully created around 89,000 well-paying jobs in the past five years,” he said during the manifesto launch at Dewan Raja Muda Musa, here, this evening.
By providing ample high-paying job opportunities, the state aims to uplift its economic status and improve the well-being of its citizens, he added.
In his speech, Amirudin stressed that these initiatives were not populist in nature but were carefully and thoroughly deliberated before being finalised.
“These offers are not populist, but based on proper research. God willing, we will be able to execute all 53 initiatives.
“These five thrusts over the next five years are our pledge for the people of Selangor, to ensure the state remains stable and developed, and that will not only become an (economic) beacon in the country, but in Southeast Asia as well,” he said.
Under the thrust of ‘Economic Excellence and Quality Education as a Catalyst for High Paying Jobs’, Amirudin pledged significant infrastructure developments, such as the construction of a third port on Carey Island.
Additionally, there are proposals to continue the development of three major townships, namely Sabak Bernam, Sepang and Sungai Klang, as well as along the Klang River.
He also vowed to expand the state’s free tuition scheme to cover 200,000 students, the provision of a RM200 book voucher to the youths, and internship opportunities for 2,000 young individuals from Selangor with a RM1,500 monthly allowance.
Under the second thrust of ‘Religion as the Beacon and Inspiration for a Dignified Life’, the manifesto pledged to raise the allowances for imam and other religious post holders, as well as increasing allocations for the Buddhist, Christian, Hindu, Sikh, and Taoist communities.
As for the third thrust, which focuses on ‘Competent and Efficient Government Services’, Amirudin aims to ensure all government services will be fully digitalised within the next half decade, while assisting businesses to move in the same direction.
He said the unity pact also targets the setting up of a special one stop centre in all local councils to address critical issues related to their services within 24 hours.
The fourth thrust, ‘Sustainable, Comfortable and Livable Development’, sees the coalition promising the construction of 200,000 units of Kediaman Kita Selangor houses priced at RM250,000 or below, and 10,000 units of Perumahan Penjawat Awam Kita Selangor for civil servants.
Amirudin also pledged to equip all state government and local council buildings with solar panels, address the issue of traffic congestion through coordination with the federal government, and improve road conditions in rural areas.
Separately, the menteri besar vows to build 5,000 DC charging stations for electric vehicles in public areas statewide.
Under the final thrust ‘Selangor is a Loving State that Defends the Interests of its People’, Amirudin pledged to expand the state’s Iltizam Selangor Penyayang welfare initiative from 46 programmes to 60.
He also plans to introduce Insentif Wanita Kita Selangor, which provides an annual RM1,000 assistance to working women to reduce the cost of childcare, expand the Saring Selangor free health screening programme, install more CCTVs in public areas, and offer RM200 book vouchers to all Selangor students in higher education institutions, among others.
