Dear Young Malaysian Voters, Here's What BN And PH Are Promising You For GE14
Malaysian youths, what say you?
By Jia Vern Tham — 09 Apr 2018, 08:23 PM
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak revealed Barisan Nasional (BN)'s manifesto at Axiata Arena on Saturday, 7 April
The 220-page manifesto is titled 'Bersama BN, Hebatkan Negaraku' (With BN For A Greater Malaysia), and includes 14 key points.
The manifesto was launched about a month after opposition coalition Pakatan Harapan (PH) released theirs, which is themed 'Buku Harapan' (Book of Hope).
Inevitably, the manifestos have to appeal to nearly five million young voters in the 14th general election (GE14)
According to Bernama, the young voters make up 34% of all voters for GE14.
These voters are also expected to play a vital role in deciding the winners of GE14.
What are the campaign promises by BN and PH that are relevant to the five million young voters? We break it down for you:
1. Employability and job opportunities
BN:
- To prepare youths under 30-years-old with jobs or relevant training in order to be employed within six months after graduation.
- To create 3 million job opportunities through various initiatives including the TVET (Technical and Vocational Education and Training) Bootcamp.
- To increase employability of unemployed graduates through the 'Apprenticeship Malaysia' programme in five pilot industries.
PH:
- To create 1 million jobs with a monthly salary of at least RM2,500 within the first five years of PH administration.
- 200,000 of the 1 million jobs will be allocated to Sabah and Sarawak.
- Companies will be paid to run on-the-job trainings for TVET students.
2. Education
BN:
- To implement appropriate classroom sizes, reduce the administrative workload of teachers, and provide better teaching-aid equipment.
- To improve English language proficiency in schools through the Dual Language Programme (DLP), High Immersion Programme (HIP), and the introduction of English medium schools in Sabah and Sarawak as pilot projects.
- To reduce the costs of transportation, government services, and education-related essentials by introducing special student discount cards.
PH:
- To allow PTPTN borrowers to defer repayment if they earn less than RM4,000 a month.
- To guarantee free and better public education for every level from pre-school to university.
- To give cost of living allowance to students from low-income families who are accepted into public universities.
3. Affordable housing
BN:
- To establish a bank dedicated to facilitate loans for houses priced RM300,000 and below.
- To increase the number of 1Malaysia Youth Transit Homes.
- To end the policy of Bumiputera discounts for properties priced at RM1 million and above.
PH:
- To build 1 million affordable homes across Malaysia within two terms of the PH government.
- To take over maintenance costs in low-cost housing areas in order to lower the burden of residents.
- To create a special housing loan scheme tailored for youths who want to buy their first property.
4. Access to sports and recreational facilities
BN:
- To provide art classes and sports programmes for children under the age of 12 living in government housing areas.
- To build more pocket parks in cities across the country, and transform abandoned sites and dilapidated buildings into community recreational spaces.
- To upgrade facilities in all Youth and Sports complexes, as well as all neighbourhood mini-sports complexes.
PH:
- To build bicycle lanes in cities across the country.
- To build racing circuits in specific areas for interested youths in order to race safely.
- To build a stadium for E-sports with complete infrastructure for youths who have potential in the area.