Penang polls: Boosting employment, people's welfare, infrastructure among 16 themes in unity manifesto

BUTTERWORTH: Pakatan Harapan-Barisan Nasional has launched its election manifesto dubbed the "Penang Unity Manifesto 2023" with the focus on 16 main themes.

The manifesto was unveiled by Penang Pakatan/Barisan manifesto chief Zairil Khir Johari at Butterworth Arena in Mak Mandin here on Tuesday (Aug 1).

The manifesto covers people's welfare, socioeconomic wellbeing, boosting high-skilled employment, upholding Islamic faith, essential infrastructure and rural development, housing for all, women and youth empowerment, food supply security, strengthening the tourism and service sector, as well as traffic management initiatives.

Other themes are promoting multicultural harmony, upholding democracy, protecting Penang's rights and environmental resilience towards climate change.

Among highlights of the manifesto are to set up a state social development fund from medical health fees from foreigners to benefit the needy.

It also pledged to attract high-impact investments through the development of the “Silicon Island” project designed according to ESG principles, which is expected to generate RM7bil for the local economy during the construction period and the GBS by the Sea project (RM100mil) to achieve “Global City” status, apart from developing the “Meditech City” in Batu Kawan.

Haj pilgrims from the B40 group will also receive a one-off RM1,000 assistance while aid of RM600 per year will be provided to e-hailing drivers besides personal accident insurance for p-hailing riders.

The manifesto also pledges to continue assistance of RM600 per year to taxi and school bus drivers. For education, the manifesto pledges to allocate RM60mil by the year 2030.

It pledged to achieve 220,000 affordable housing units of which up to 100,000 units will be offered through the “B40 Affordable Housing” scheme at a price of RM100,000 to RM150,000 as well as 22,000 rent-to-own units by 2030.

Included in the manifesto is to commence the construction of the Penang Light Rail Transit (LRT) and the Bukit Bendera Cable Car, construction of the Tanjung Bungah - Teluk Bahang Dual Carriageway, a diverging diamond interchange at the Juru Interchange, Sungai Bakap Bypass Road, and construction of the Ayer Itam Bypass Road to the Tun Dr Lim Chong Eu Expressway.

Among those present were PKR vice-president Nurul Izzah Anwar, DAP chairman Lim Guan Eng, Penang Barisan chairman Datuk Musa Sheikh Fadzir, Parti Amanah Negara vice-president Datuk Seri Dr Mujahid Yusof Rawa and Penang Pakatan chairman Chow Kon Yeow.

Penang Pakatan has set a target of winning between 30 and 32 seats out of the 40 seats contested in the upcoming state election.

In the 2008 and 2013 elections, the then Pakatan Rakyat won 29 and 30 seats respectively to form the state government.