BN Manifesto Benefits All
KUALA LUMPUR, April 8 (Bernama) -- Various quarters have viewed the Barisan Nasional (BN) manifesto for the 14th general election (GE14) announced by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak last night as a safeguard of the people's welfare and was aimed at bringing progress to everyone as a whole.
For the Orang Asli community in Kelantan, they found the initiatives listed in the manifesto to be very encouraging especially on education where BN promised to lower the dropout rates among the children of the community and to increase programmes to address literacy problems in the rural areas.
One of the Orang Asli leaders in Kelantan, Bidi Ronggeng, said the community was very pleased with the announcement to increase 1Malaysia People's Aid (BR1M) allocation which benefited them.
"The BN manifesto also gives the Orang Asli community an opportunity to be on par with other members of the society," he told reporters when met at Pos Brooke, Tanah Tinggi Lojing, Gua Musang.
He said the BN has always kept its promises, such as those pledged in the 13th general election (GE13) manifesto that helped to bring changes to the community particularly in term of roads, 24-hour electricity and water supply.
Meanwhile, another Orang Asli leader, Zainal Cali, 48, from Pos Tohoi, Gua Musang, said the initiatives listed in the manifesto gave hopes to the community to be more developed, particularly in employment and education opportunities, to enable them to be on par with the other races.
He said the community needed assistance from the federal government to upgrade all basic amenities including roads in all rural villages.
Meanwhile, Perusahaan Usahanita Kumpulan Fatonah chairperson Norlia Ramli said the initiative listed in the BN manifesto to facilitate financial assistance for single mothers was seen as a ray of hope for this group, to enable them to stand on their feet following divorce or death of their husband.
"There are so many single mothers, especially those with many children, who want to venture into business in order to survive but it is difficult for them to obtain loans not only from the banks but also from agencies like TEKUN and Amanah Ikhtiar Malaysia due to red tape," she said.
Meanwhile, a private sector employee Hazriny Syakir, 32, from Kulim, Kedah, said she was hoping that the BN manifesto would be implemented especially the initiatives involving maternity leave and childcare facilities.
Elsewhere, Revd Samuel, 66, from Seremban, Negeri Sembilan, said the initiatives to increase the number of affordable homes across the country, as well as the creation of a special bank to facilitate housing loans below RM300,000, showed the government's commitment and aspiration to ease the burden of those in the low-income group (B40).
A private sector employee in Seremban, Mohd Nur Hanis Abdul Rahim, 32, was excited by the affordable housing initiative listed in the manifesto as it reflected the BN's commitment to meet the needs of the people, especially for those who have yet to own a home.
Meanwhile, Negaraku Brigade president Khairul Nizam Mohd Sopery said the BN manifesto showed the coalition's desire to be given the mandate as the ruling government, to facilitate the country to achieve the National Transformation 2050 (TN50) aspirations.
"No one is left behind is a fairly accurate phrase to describe the entire BN manifesto, while those touching the needs to empower women and strong desire to further advance the younger generation are in line with the country's aspirations for the groups," he said.
-- BERNAMA
