GE14: Kelantan BN unveils seven-point manifesto
KOTA BHARU, April 19 (Bernama) -- Kelantan Barisan Nasional (BN) today launched its 14th general election manifesto with the theme 'Together for Kelantan' which contained seven core thrusts and plans to bring comprehensive development as well as balance between the religious and secular aspects.
Kelantan BN chairman Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed when launching the manifesto here tonight listed seven assurances namely to empower Islamic religious laws, sustainable economic development, the people's wellbeing, empowering youths, improving infrastructure, sustainable environment and protection of minority groups.
"Overall, Kelantan BN is making 60 pledges for Kelantan and its future under seven core thrusts.
"This is a development agenda balanced between the religious and secular aspects, which will be implemented based on the Maqasid Syariah or Matlamat Syara," said Mustapa.
Mustapa also announced that Kelantan BN offered eight initiatives to be carried out in the first 100 days after being given the mandate to rule the state. It involves reducing land premium, providing efficient and effective government services, create an accountability (hisbah) committee to monitor governance and identify improvements to be implemented, give discounts to assessment arrears, abolish site rental arrears and review local authority taxes.
The other four are abolishing cukai kepala bakul, facilitate licence application procedures for hawkers and petty traders, review meter parking charges and create a task force to combat the drug menace more effectively.
To ensure the empowerment of Islam, Kelantan BN offers to set up a Universiti Al Quran to produce a generation of professional hufaz in various disciplines of Islam, to create more tahfiz schools modelled along Ulul-Albab; to empower Yayasan Islam Kelantan (YIK) and improve the welfare of YIK teachers.
To also transform the role of mosques as a missionary centre for community and economic development, to regain the excellence of Kelantan as a centre of traditional Islamic knowledge by empowering religious schools, people's religious schools and state religious schools; upgrade district mosques; increase allowance for imam, bilal, guru takmir and siak and continue with effective missionary programmes to strengthen unity among Muslims.
To ensure sustainable economic development, Kelantan BN promised to speed up the contribution of the private sector to state economic development especially in manufacturing and industries; step up promotion of Kelantan as an investment destination; upgrade existing industrial areas and create new industrial parks; empower the roles of small and medium industries in their contribution to the state's economy.
To create 50,000 employment and entrepreneurship opportunities especially for youths; strengthen the role of women in entrepreneurship and produce more women entrepreneurs; improve the digital economy among entrepreneurs and youths in Kelantan; guide and develop the independence of single mothers and disabled people and make Kelantan a leading producer of food in the country.
Upgrade the tourist destinations of Kelantan such as Pantai Irama, Pantai Melawi, Pantai Sri Tujoh and develop new tourism products, set up a North Kelantan Development Authority and enhance economic activities in border areas; open new land development plans in South Kelantan; boost economic growth in areas along the East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) and make Kelantan as a centre of arts and culture in harmony with the principles of Islam. In ensuring the wellbeing of the people, Kelantan BN pledged to manage the land affairs more efficiently to benefit the people such as abolishing agricultural land tax for two acres and below; reviewing the Ladang Rakyat agreement to allow some land to be returned to the people; reviewing the YIK land development capital to make it profitable.
Build 20,000 houses under the People's Housing Programme (PPR) and new homes for second generation settlers of Felda and the South Kelantan Development Authority statewide; build more new houses for the poor; increasing the allocation for repair of homes of the poor; build a special hospital for women and children to improve their health and welfare; gazette Orang Asli customary land; upgrade the socio-economic status of the Orang Asli by providing quality education and skills training; and improving the health status of the Orang Asli.
In order to empower youths, Kelantan BN pledged to give annual grants to the Kelantan Football Association and district football associations; build a stadium and a sports complex in Machang; establish a mini sports complex in every district; build a racing circuit; combat drug abuse and improve the effectiveness of drug rehabilitation programmes.
Provide special assistance to Kelantan-born who are successfully in enrolling in public institutions of higher learning; set up free English and Arabic centres of excellence in every district; increase the number of boarding and vocational schools; and provide special assistance to couples who are getting married for the first time.
In a bid to improve infrastructure, Kelantan BN pledged to expedite the construction of the Kota Bharu-Kuala Krai Highway connecting Kota Bharu to Gua Musang; connecting Kelantan with the East Coast Expressway; upgrade the West-East Highway from Gerik, Perak to Jertih, Terengganu; upgrading roads across Kelantan; providing an efficient integrated public transport system in Kota Bharu; build an integrated bus terminal in Kota Bharu; build a public transport hub in every district; help to develop the Tok Bali Port for export and import activities as well as an industrial centre; and conduct a study on the establishment of a state administrative centre in Machang.
To ensure environmental sustainability, Kelantan BN assured to stop logging activities temporarily and review the granting of logging licences; improve the effectiveness of Air Kelantan Sdn Bhd (AKSB) services and increase the supply of treated water coverage to 80 per cent; build and repair the irrigation and drainage system in Kota Bharu and major towns; and deepen the rivers to tackle flood problems.
Kelantan BN also assured that it will champion the minorities' cause by providing a quota for them for the PPR houses in certain areas; provide an annual allocation for national-type Chinese and Tamil schools and private secondary schools; allocate an annual grant for the Siamese and Dhamma languages classes; provide a welfare fund to help minorities; and provide assistance to minority non-governmental organisations.
-- BERNAMA
