JOHOR BARU: Are the 3.3 million Johoreans in favour of a state government which promises prosperity or do they want a welfare-oriented government?
Both Barisan Nasional and Pakatan Rakyat have issued separate manifestos to woo the voters in the state, which is the birthplace of Umno and considered a BN fortress.
The BN manifesto was launched on Tuesday by caretaker Menteri Besar Abdul Ghani Othman.
Themed “prospering the people” (mensejahterakan rakyat), the BN manifesto contained 20 points, most of which were devoted to economic development and diversification, aids for small and medium industries and the continuation of the Iskandar Malaysia economic zone.
“To make the entire Johor a consistent large-scale economic destination to ensure high economic growth,” read one pledge.
In contrast, the Pakatan manifesto, themed “Johor – an Advanced Welfare State”, placed more emphasis on eliminating corruption and improving the welfare of the people and civil servants.
This could be seen through its pledge to make the menteri besar, state executive councillors, local councillors and their spouses declare their assets annually; and to impose a two-term limit on the person holding the menteri besar post.
They also intend to bar the menteri besar, state excutive councillors and assemblypersons from applying for state lands while in service.
BN, meanwhile, spelled out measures to beef up the state’s security by installing 2,000 CCTVs in strategic locations and to prevent floods by upgrading the drainage systems in major towns.
Pakatan, on the other hand, promised to uphold Islam by conducting mosque and surau committee elections, to make mosque imam a permanent post with RM1,300 salary. It also pledges to set up a non-Muslim affairs portfolio.
WiFi and welfares
BN
Widen WiFi reach in 1,000 schools, 10 cubic metres of free water for poor families and 20 cubic metres for hardcore poor, food aid pogramme for the poor.
Install 2,000 CCTVs, increase number of security personnel in strategic areas, widen community policing programmes and the use of community crime alerts.
Pakatan
Free WiFi in major towns, 10 cubic metres of free water for domestic consumption, reduction in assessment rate and quit rent, eradicate outstanding parking summonses issued by local authorities.
A gift of RM1,000 for newlyweds who take part in mass wedding sessions, and monetary goodies for senior citizens, newborn babies and students.
Housing and squatters
BN
To resolve the remaining squatter relocation that involves 3,800 families in Johor Baru and to resolve the remaining 14 abandoned housing projects.
To build a total of 37,700 affordable houses under the People-Housing Project (5,000 units), Community Housing Project (priced RM42,000-RM80,000 each, 1,700 units), Affordable Housing Project (priced RM120,000-RM220,000, 6000 units), Perumahan Rakyat 1 Malaysia (25,000 units).
Pakatan
To set up “people housing fund” to build affordable houses for urban pioneers, to develop squatter areas in the city into high-rise housing and sell it to urban pioneers through the concept of rent-to-own, to introduce “1 family, 1 house” policy.
Economic and job opportunities
BN
Create 500,000 jobs in sectors such as healthcare, creative industry, education, logistic, manufacturing, food, retail, tourism and finance and 40,000 jobs through the petrochemical plant in Pengerang.
To make Johor a preferred investment destination, to build Asia-Pacific’s largest petrochemical hub in Pengerang by 2017 and to make Iskandar Malaysia the fastest growing economic zone in the region.
To enhance competitiveness in small and medium industries especially those in the service or tourism sectors.
Pakatan
Create 40,000 jobs within two years, to improve the performance of state government-linked companies (GLCs) especially on their returns and to review all privatisation projects deemed as a loss to the people.
State civil servants
BN
To improve work flow through the use of ICT, enhance the integrity of the government and close loopholes for corruption and misappropriation.
Pakatan
To provide 10 days paid leave to husbands whose wives give birth until the fifth child, to set up childcare centres in state agencies, five days of unrecorded leave to those who lose their spouses, and increase the level of participation among all races in the civil service. To introduce minimum wage of RM1,100 among state civil servants.
Education
BN
To make Johor a higher education hub via education city in Pagoh, Nusajaya and Pasir Gudang, increase the number of vocational schools and skilled-oriented schools, impose condition that land developer must alienate a plot of land for national schools and national-type schools (Chinese and Tamil).
Pakatan
Increase the number of Islamic schools at the primary and secondary level.
Reward lands to private Islamic school (Sekolah Agama Rakyat), Chinese and Tamil vernacular schools and Chinese private secondary schools so that the lands could be developed to generate income for the schools.
