PH pledges to set aside local authority projects for young people
MELAKA: Young people will have 30% of local authority works contracts set aside for them if Pakatan Harapan forms the next state government, says Melaka Pakatan chairman Adly Zahari.
“This will open up opportunities for jobs, business and experience for the younger generation,” he said when launching the coalition’s “Melaka Rumah Kita” (Melaka, Our Home) manifesto.
About one in four of the state’s 687,697 voters is aged under 30, Election Commission figures show.
The youth pledge is one of three core pillars in the manifesto, alongside plans to transform Melaka into a smart state and to target 25 million tourists by 2032.
“We also want to position the state as a more competitive, internationally recognised destination.
“We know that empowering the tourism industry will give the people more economic opportunities,” said Adly.
The manifesto also spells Pakatan’s aspiration to turn Melaka into a smart state to improve efficiency, security and quality of life.
It also lists 12 aspirations, including affordable housing, people-friendly governance, quality employment, women’s empowerment, entrepreneurship and public welfare and developing idle land for economic opportunities.
Adly said the aspirations came from meetings with the people and businesses, as well as Pakatan’s experience in state and federal governments.
“The manifesto sets out our direction for a government that upholds public trust, creates income opportunities, ensures development and improves people’s lives,” he said.
He said the coalition had launched the manifesto early so that voters would have time to discuss it, with more forums to follow.
Additional focus areas would be introduced to fulfil Pakatan’s commitment to serving the people, particularly by helping ease their cost-of-living burden.
“PH also plans to organise a series of forums and programmes to explain each of the proposed aspirations to voters throughout the campaign for the state election,” Adly said.
Early voting for the election is scheduled for Nov 10, with polling day set for Nov 14.
