KUALA LUMPUR – Barisan Nasional (BN) chairman Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has hailed the coalition’s manifesto for the 15th general election (GE15), which was unveiled last night as a “gamechanger” for the country’s education system.
He said students from low-income families in the B40 category who are studying at higher learning institutions will be provided with free education, following an assessment of the students’ capability to repay their National Higher Education Fund Corporation loans.
“In addition, we also suggest that 50% of studies on campus be done virtually and the other 50% be done physically,” he said at a press conference in Bagan Datok, where he is defending the seat.
“This is a new approach that will not burden the students in any way,” he added, commenting on the pledges made in the manifesto if BN wins GE15 and assumes power over the federal government.
Zahid added that studies show that students carry backpacks that weigh more than they do. Therefore, it has been planned that each B40 student would be provided with a laptop.
He promised that students of M40 families who are financially unable to purchase laptops would each receive one, due to the demands of technology in learning across the country.
The BN manifesto launched yesterday includes an “assistive basic income” scheme which will see the government top up the monthly income of every household with total wages less than RM2,208 to that figure. The difference in amount will be automatically credited to families.
It also pledges to offer free early education and childcare support for children below 6 under a new universal national system.
BN 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.
Zahid today expressed confidence that GE15 will bring something new to the people of Malaysia, something no BN government leader has done before.
“According to economic analysis results, the global economy will experience a recession, and Malaysia is not exempt from this problem.”
“When Barisan Nasional took over, the government decided to bring political stability back to our country.
“Without stability, economic growth will be slow because we will have to compete to get investment from outside the country and from entrepreneurs who want to start new businesses in Malaysia,” said Zahid.
He noted that BN’s manifesto contained 99 pledges, including promises to develop Sabah and Sarawak.
He stressed that BN will definitely pay attention to Sabah as its neighbouring Indonesian province of Kalimantan will have a new economic growth area due to the country’s new capital city emerging there.
The benefits will be seen in the industrial and tourism sectors and many other sectors of concern to the BN government. – The Vibes, November 8, 2022
