Welfare scheme, help with education among BN's election pledges

KUALA LUMPUR - Barisan Nasional (BN) on Monday unveiled an election manifesto that centred on education and the rising cost of living, and included measures to encourage diversity and inclusiveness.

- Nadirah H. Rodzi

Assistance for the bottom 40 per cent of Malaysia's income earners (B40) was top of the agenda, and comprised free higher education and free laptops for these households.

The manifesto also outlined a new welfare distribution scheme called Assistive Basic Income, which would help households earn at least RM2,208 (S$655) a month and make absolute poverty a thing of the past.

The coalition believes that education is "a powerful weapon in the fight against poverty", said BN chairman and Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi when announcing details of the election pledges.

He noted that these measures were part of the coalition's long-term poverty-eradication plan.

"In addition to free higher education for the B40 group... we are offering a flexible study system - 50 per cent on-campus study and 50 

LANGKAWI Malaysia's upcoming general election will likely be the last for its former prime minister Mahathir Mohamad.

It could also be his toughest: While support still runs strong for Tun, as he is known among the locals, the 97-year-old will face a five-cornered fight for his Langkawi parliamentary seat at a time when many are frustrated over a collapse in tourism that has decimated businesses on the island.

It is therefore possible that Tun Dr Mahathir will lose Langkawi, which has a population that is 90 per cent Malay, to his younger opponents in this election.

Representing the Gerakan Tanah Air (GTA) alliance, Dr Mahathir will defend his seat in Parliament for the second term after winning it in the 2018 General Election.

Contesting Langkawi for the first time then, he won 54.9 per cent of the 34,527 valid votes, beating Barisan Nasional's (BN) 29.1 per cent.