JOHOR BARU: A PKR leader is refuting Khairy Jamaluddin's claim that Pakatan Harapan's manifesto for the Johor elections is a "copy-and-paste" of Barisan Nasional's.
PKR strategy director Sim Tze Tzin said the coalition's manifesto contains new initiatives, including the Johor Kad Sihat healthcare scheme, which offers healthcare coverage of up to RM100,000.
"This is a game-changer. Barisan does not have this while we have already successfully implemented Kad Sihat in Selangor.
"We have a proven track record that this scheme can be implemented," he told reporters at a press conference here on Sunday (July 5).
Also present was Pakatan candidate for the Puteri Wangsa seat Dr Maszlee Malik.
He was responding to comments made by Khairy during a recent ceramah that Pakatan's election manifesto duplicated Barisan's.
Sim said Barisan should instead explain why it had yet to fulfil many pledges in its 2022 Johor Election manifesto.
"If they could not fulfil their previous promises, then the people have every right to question whether they can deliver on new ones," he said.
He added that another key proposal in Barisan manifesto was the vision of turning Johor into the "Shenzhen of Southeast Asia" through the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone (JS-SEZ).
He said the Federal government has been the main driver of the JS-SEZ by providing tax incentives, institutional support, infrastructure development and fast-track approvals for investors.
On another matter, Sim questioned PAS' decision not to unveil an election manifesto despite contesting 33 seats.
"PAS is contesting 33 seats under Perikatan Nasional. They can become the government but they have not offered any manifesto.
"That shows Perikatan, especially PAS, is bankrupt of ideas. They only play on racial and religious issues. They have no ideas on how to govern the state," he said.
