KOTA BAHARU, April 11 – The Kelantan Barisan Nasional pledged that the people of Kelantan will experience a major change in landscape should they give Barisan Nasional (BN) the mandate in the 13th General Election. BN also pledged to bring about a big change, especially for the younger generation (Generation Y), to ensure a better future for them since the PAS-led government had ignored their welfare for 23 years.
The pledges were among the main agenda contained in the manifesto or ‘Akujanji BN Kelantan’ themed ‘People at Heart Promises Fulfilled’ launched by Kelantan BN chairman Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed at the Umno building, here, today.
He added that through the specially drafted manifesto, BN would also create 30,000 job opportunities in the next five years, as well as churn out young religious scholars and young leaders based on strong Islamic values and principles.
The BN would also set aside a special fund to provide grants and loans to help youths start businesses and strengthen youth organisations and build infrastructure for extreme sports, a motorcycle racing circuit and incubator to market products manufactured or produced by youths.
The manifesto included a pledge to turn Kelantan in an excellence centre for education and to elevate the status and welfare of religious school teachers to be on par with those under the Education Ministry. Roads, hospitals, the Tok Bali port, hub for production of sea products and centres to build and repair ships would also be upgraded, he said.
Apart from the upgrading exercise, flood mitigation projects in Sungai Kelantan, Sungai Golok, low cost houses will also be build and a satellite city to Kota Baharu will be set up in Kok Lanas while Sultan Ismail Petra Airport will be upgraded to become a main entry point for regional flights.
BN also pledged to increase foreign direct investment to improve its economy by providing the necessary infrastructure that will in return create numerous job opportunities. Ravaged forest land in Kelantan will be returned to the people if BN wins the state, the Orang Asli land issues will be resolved while Malay reserve land will be preserved.
For the non-Malays, the manifesto said BN will provide yearly grants to Tamil and Chinese schools and provide burial grounds for Chinese, Indians, Sikhs, Christians, Siamese and Orang Asli. The manifesto also pledged to preserve the rights of the minority in the maintenance of temples and places of worship while the tourism sector would be given a breath of fresh air.
BERNAMA
