Election pledges: Aminuddin (centre) holding a copy of the manifesto. With him are Jalaluddin (second from left) and state Barisan and Pakatan leaders and candidates.
SEREMBAN: Senior citizens aged 70 and above will receive a RM200 annual payment for the next five years from the Negri Sembilan government if Pakatan Harapan and Barisan Nasional succeed in forming the state government.
Those born in the state and getting married for the first time will be given a RM500 cash assistance while single mothers earning less than RM2,000 a month will get an annual aid of RM200.
State Pakatan chief Datuk Seri Aminuddin Harun said these were among the pledges under the People’s Well-being Scheme (Skim Sejahtera Rakyat) contained in its manifesto titled “Aspirasi Perpaduan Negri Sembilan”.
“There will also be a RM100 payment into an education-cum-savings scheme for every child born and RM300 for every student entering a fully residential school.
“A RM1,000 cash incentive will be given to students who obtain straight As in their SPM, STPM and STAM examinations.
“We will also continue with the RM1,000 aid given to students enrolling for a degree programme at a tertiary institution, RM750 to those pursuing a diploma and RM500 for a certificate course,” he said when unveiling the joint manifesto here.
Free laptops would be given to students from B40 families pursuing their Form Six education while undergraduates at public universities would get RM150 a month to help them with their expenses.
Aminuddin said graduates who obtain a first-class degree would be rewarded with RM5,000 and any education loan taken from the Negri Sembilan Foundation would be written off.
Also, students who wish to pursue their Master’s or PhD programmes at local public universities would be eligible to apply for interest-free loans.
A special programme to improve the English proficiency among students and free tuition classes for children from poor families would also be introduced.
In total, there are 10 main thrusts and 70 initiatives under the joint manifesto.
Also present at the manifesto launch were state Umno chief Datuk Seri Jalaluddin Alias and other Barisan and Pakatan leaders.
The pact gave its commitment to improving the state’s economy, investment and infrastructure, education and human capital, entrepreneurship, housing, agriculture, tourism and the environment, religion, culture and the well-being of the Orang Asli, the state civil service and Felda settlers.
This includes opening new industrial areas, restructuring smaller towns to ensure there is no large scale migration and better Internet coverage.
It also agreed to issue free hawker licences for five years, to increase the monthly welfare aid payments from RM270 to RM300 and RM320 to RM350, and continue with the Dialysis Treatment Fund for the needy.
Youth from B40 families aged between 16 and 21 will also be given vouchers worth RM150 to apply for their motorcycle licence.
Efforts to build 4,000 affordable homes in the next five years will also be carried out.
For farmers using smart technology to increase food production, Aminuddin said incentives and cash assistance would be given.
If elected, he said they would also do more to promote tourism, including research programmes at Gua Pasoh which is said to be the place where the remains of the earliest human in the country were discovered.
Also, more Islamic programmes would be carried out in all districts, he added.
