Having captured the Selangor state government from the Barisan Nasional Government, readers hope and expect the Barisan Nasional to keep up to their promises which they made during their campaign rounds at the recent 12th General Elections. Among the pledges the BA made in their Selangor Manifesto were:
· Reduce petrol, diesel and gas prices
· Provide free education
· Provide free health services
· Reduce the gap between the rich and poor
· Creating a government that is principled, just, clean and a welfare state
The Selangor Manifesto had also promised Selangor to be clean, progressive and welfare-based with an Administration of Integrity (Selangor Bersih, Maju dan Berkebajikan: Urustadbir Berwibawa)
· Ensures all leaders are clean from graft
· Investigate land and state resources administrative mismanagement
· Stopping loss incurring and wasteful projects
· Ensures transparency in the state administration
· Stopping political interference in commerce
The Selangor Manifesto also pledges to look after the Rakyat’s Social and Welfare (Sosial dan Kebajikan Rakyat)
· Opening an RM 100 start-up fund for every child born in Selangor
· Giving RM 75 monthly aid for each child sent to a nursery
· Giving RM 50 monthly aid per person for pre-school education
· Giving RM 1,000 prize money to every Selangor born child who receives a university offer
· Giving education assistance and scholarships for Selangor-born children
· Giving assistance to youths for home-making
· Opening mini sports and recreational centres for youths
· Taking out an RM 2,500 takaful fund for senior citizens, disabled people and orphans
· Giving allowances to eligible single mothers
· Giving special allowances to housewives who opt for fulltime care for their young children
· Helping every Selangor citizen to obtain their own residence
· Establish an institution to co-ordinate non-Islamic matters
The Selangor Manifesto vows to look after the Rakyat’s Health (Kesihatan Rakyat)
· Giving working women 90 days maternity leave
· Giving 14 days paternity leave for husbands whose wives have delivered
· Giving one month’s holiday to women whose husbands passed away
· Providing free medical services for citizens aged 65 years and above
The Selangor Manifesto promises to deliver a Rakyat friendly Economy (Ekonomi Rakyat)
· Providing sufficient business premises
· Giving business guidance to youths and women
· Giving encouragement to youths and young women to conduct business with minimum rent or only having to pay water and electric for the first two years
· Reducing residential assessment tax as much as 20% and commercial premises taxes as much as 10%
· Giving free domestic water supply for the first 20 cubic metres every month
· Conducting prgrammes to enable the poor, especially farmers and fishermen to obtain incomes higher than the poverty line
The Selangor Manifesto also undertakes to look after the Rakyat’s Security (Keselamatan Rakyat)
· Tightening conditions for environmental protection to avoid calamities like landslides and floods
· Replace the Rukun Tetangga with a new effective system
· Establishing service centres to overcome criminal cases and violence against women
If the BA Selangor state government, or now better known as Pakatan Rakyat is able to stick with their Santa Clause goodie bag which is a tall order to deliver, then well and good.
However, if the Pakatan Rakyat is unable to keep to or deliver their promises, then they should not have made such pledges, as it is akin to giving voters false hopes. Worse yet, their freebie goodie bag appears more as vote-buying attempt (which worked) with empty promises of free health, welfare and education services and economic programmes for youth and women entrepreneurs.
Would the Pakatan Rakyat’s promise of more days for working leave run counter against existing labour laws whilst encourage non-productivity at work?
One also cannot help but wonder where the PKR-DAP-PAS led Selangor government will be able to come up with their sources of funding to pay off the huge expenditure needed in fulfilling their welfare state agenda.