NILAI: Bersatu’s “Tawaran Bersatu Demi Nismilan” manifesto for the Negri Sembilan election features cash assistance and financial aid to targeted groups.
The 76-point manifesto includes RM250 for new mothers, a RM25mil critical illness fund, a RM100mil rent-to-own housing scheme and a pledge to create 50,000 high-income jobs within five years.
The manifesto also pledges a RM50 monthly transport allowance for about 2,000 pupils.
Bersatu president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin also pledged equal annual allocations for all assemblymen, regardless of party affiliation, if Bersatu forms the state government after the election.
“This shows we are fair. When I was prime minister, I gave allocations to all MPs, whether they were from the government or the opposition,” Muhyiddin told reporters after launching the party’s Negri Sembilan election manifesto here yesterday.
He said the manifesto’s pledges could be implemented “quickly, efficiently and transparently” and were designed to benefit all segments of society.
Meanwhile, Muhyiddin brushed aside speculation that Bersatu would be expelled from Perikatan Nasional.
Instead, he said the party’s lawyers were studying whether other Perikatan component parties had breached the coalition’s constitution.
“Under Perikatan’s constitution, to expel any party, you must obtain the consensus of all members.
“We are still a member. If even one member does not agree, it cannot be done,” he said.
He was responding to Parti Wawasan Negara election director Badrul Hisham Shaharin, better known as Chegubard, who claimed Bersatu would soon be expelled from Perikatan.
“Who is this Chegubard? Is he a member of Perikatan’s top leadership council?” asked Muhyiddin, the coalition’s former chairman.
He said Bersatu remained focused on the Aug 1 state election, but its lawyers were examining possible breaches of the coalition’s constitution, including the alleged denial of the party’s right to be consulted on seat allocations.
“I am not saying we will take action. But if we study the matter and find there are strong grounds, such as denying our right to be consulted on seat distribution, we will look into whether that amounts to a violation,” he said.
Bersatu is contesting the state election on its own and is not part of the no-clash electoral understanding between Barisan Nasional and Perikatan.
Out of the 24 seats that Bersatu is contesting, five of them were held by Perikatan, nine by Pakatan and 10 by Barisan.
Muhyiddin dismissed the Barisan-Perikatan arrangement as a pursuit of power that offered voters little in terms of policy alternatives.
A total of 889,490 voters are eligible to cast their ballots on Aug 1, with early voting scheduled for July 28.
