KUALA LUMPUR – No household will earn less than the country’s poverty line income of RM2,208 a month if Barisan Nasional (BN) comes into power, the coalition promised as part of its election manifesto.
BN chairman Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said the new “assistive basic income” scheme will see the government top up the monthly income of all households to at least RM2,208.
The difference in amount will automatically be credited to families with wages less than the stipulated figure.
“This scheme is most fair, reasonable, and strategic. Not only will it address the issue of cost of living, it will also ensure that no household will live below the poverty level.
“In other words, after this, cases of hardcore poverty will be history in Malaysia,” he said when announcing the coalition’s 15th general election manifesto today.
As for individuals in the M40 group earning between RM50,000 and RM100,000 annually, Zahid said their income tax will be reduced by two percentage points, in line with the government’s earlier announcement as part of Budget 2023.
These offers make up just one of five key “ideas” in BN’s manifesto, dubbed “Perancangan Amal dan Usaha (Planning of Charity and Efforts)” (Padu) BN, which has a total of 99 initiatives.
“Padu is a new and fresh deal for Malaysians. It is not merely sweet promises, neither is it about everything being free, or (there being) abolition and reduction in responsibilities.
“Padu is a serious and rational plan, which has a clear target,” he said in a recorded speech that was telecast on BN’s Facebook page this evening.
Free preschool for all, higher education for B40
On the education front, Zahid said BN pledges to offer free early education and childcare support for all children aged below 6, under a new universal national system.
This will standardise the free education programme that is already in place for government primary and secondary education.
“This radical change will not only reduce the huge cost for childcare and education, but proves the government’s commitment and investment in ensuring they are implemented in the best possible manner.”
On the same note, Zahid said that if BN is to come into power after the election, free tertiary education will also be accorded to all Malaysians categorised under B40.
He added that BN intends to mandate a hybrid higher education system that will see 50% of each of the lessons conducted on campus and 50% online, subsequently slashing tuition costs by half.
Zahid said the coalition also vows to introduce a fully digital education system dubbed “schooling without textbooks” for primary and secondary schools, which will see lessons conducted using laptops instead.
“For this, BN will provide free laptops to all B40 students and ensure a 100% 5G internet coverage in all schools within the next 18 months. This will subsequently address issues like heavy school bags, as well as allow for easier and faster reviews of syllabi.”
Under BN’s rule, Zahid said, apart from teaching the Malay and English languages in schools, these institutions will also be required to teach other basic languages for communication, such as Mandarin, Tamil, Iban, and Kadazan Dusun.
To encourage private companies to hire employees of various races, genders, and backgrounds, a tax incentive will be given to these firms with such plurality at the management level.
Zahid said BN also gives its commitment to amend the federal constitution to allow children born overseas to be granted citizenship through their Malaysian mothers.
Separately, BN will enact a new Elderly Care Act and strengthen the functions and capabilities of non-governmental organisations that operate homes for old folks and the disabled with a funding of RM105 million over five years. – The Vibes, November 7, 2022
