Selangor Journal: Key takeaways from PH’s GE15 action plan

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SHAH ALAM, Nov 2 — Pakatan Harapan (PH) has unveiled its 15th general election manifesto dubbed the Harapan GE15 Action Plan, which includes 39 main themes that the coalition would implement if given the mandate to form a new government.

The action plan, which was launched by PH chairman Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, includes several new recommendations as well as old policies that were introduced under the PH administration in 2018.

The following are some of the key takeaways:

Addressing the cost of living issues

• Eliminate cartels in the sectors of food and essential supplies to encourage competition while also eradicating profiteering
• Working closely with suppliers to ensure sufficient food supplies
• Providing ample incentives to increase the production of food and essentials
• To continue reducing PLUS tolls gradually with the ultimate goal of eliminating tolls and returning PLUS highway to public ownership

Eradicating poverty

• Continuing the Bantuan Sara Hidup program to help overcome living costs and targeted free breakfast programmes for pupils in schools
• Providing affordable homes for ownership, rental, low-cost and medium-cost, and transit housing

Strengthening worker protection

• A structured minimum wage policy plan to achieve the status of a high-income nation
• Extending the provision of special allowance to those who have lost their jobs as contract workers
• Early intervention to avoid a retirement poverty crisis by implementing automatic registration for EPF regardless of age, expanding I-saraan including a starting incentive for first-time voluntary contributions and allowing third-party contributions to encourage parents to start saving up for their children at an earlier age

New economic opportunities for youths

• Introduce Biasiswa B40 to help reduce dependency on loans for low-income families
• Guaranteeing youth activism and encouraging the formation of social and welfare organisations and public intellectual activities led by youth

A brighter future for our children

• Amending Article 15(2) to guarantee citizenship for any child born in Malaysia to either a Malaysian mother or father regardless of race and religion, and Article 14(1)(b) in the Constitution to allow Malaysian mothers who give birth outside of Malaysia to confer citizenship to their children in parity with fathers who already possess the right to do so

Empowering women and supporting families

• Childcare subsidies will be given to working women from the B40 and M40 categories
• Provision of free sanitary pads and tampons at all primary and secondary schools and free sanitary pads and tampons for women in the B40 category at strategic locations

Living comfortably in our golden years

• Jom Shopping vouchers worth RM100, funeral coverage worth RM1,000, and Jom Travel that provides free buses to help senior citizens visit local tourist destinations
• Free public transportation rides for senior citizens
• Legitimising the role of elderly care and financial incentives for M40 and B40 families that care for their elderly family members
• Automatic citizenship for elderly (60 years) Malaysian citizens that have at least one child who holds Malaysian citizenship

Combating corruption

• Nomination of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Chief Commissioner must be vetted by a bipartisan Parliamentary Special Committee
• To introduce the Freedom of Information Act and limit the implementation of the Official Secrets Act (OSA) except for national security-threatening issues
• Amending the Whistleblower Protection Act to allow whistleblowers to directly expose misappropriations to the media
• Reigniting efforts to establish a Media Council and amending the Printing Press Act

Reinforcing institutional integrity

• Limit the serving term for Prime Ministers, Menteri Besar, and Chief Ministers to a maximum of 10 years
• Separating the roles and responsibilities of Public Prosecutor from the Attorney General to reinforce the freedom of public prosecutors
• Nomination for roles such as the Public Prosecutor, primary positions in the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC), Election Commission of Malaysia, and the Inspector-General of Police must be vetted by a Special Parliamentary Committee
• To introduce the Fixed Parliament Term Act to ensure that the dissolution of parliament and state legislative assembly will only be called for at the end of the term

Health reforms

• Increasing the public healthcare expenditure to 5 per cent of gross domestic product (GDP) in five years
• Expanding the coverage of the mySalam program to the M40 group
• Hastening the amendment of Section 309 Penal Code to decriminalise suicide attempts
• Investing more attention into increasing mental healthcare on a holistic approach which includes insurance schemes that cover mental health issues

Enhancing public transport connectivity

• Expanding payment methods to include debit cards and e-wallets

Educational reforms

• Increase the allocated funds for the current free breakfast program
• Special allocations will be set aside to assess students’ basic competencies in Reading, Writing, and Arithmetic
• Universities and University Colleges Act (AUKU) will be abolished
• Targeted Loan Forgiveness Program for PTPTN borrowers from B40 households

Environmental protection

• The Climate Change Act, ecological fiscal transfers, Marine Protection Areas and Transboundary Haze Act are among the adoptable measures to protect the natural environment

Advancing sports economy

• The existing esports ecosystem must be fully capitalised

Bridging the developmental gap between Sabah, Sarawak and Peninsular Malaysia

• To facilitate the administration of the National Administrative Coordination Council, two deputy prime ministers will be appointed

Empowering Sabah and Sarawak through the implementation of the 1963 Malaysia Agreement

• Ensuring that 35 per cent of parliament representatives are from Sabah and Sarawak

Decentralisation of power to the regions of Sabah and Sarawak

• Seventy per cent of the staffing of all central and state agencies is prioritised for the children of Sabah and Sarawak who are eligible, especially at the top level.

For more information on the GE15 action plan, visit https://kitaboleh.my/en/home-english/.

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