TAPAH, March 31 — The Barisan Nasional (BN) manifesto for the 14th general election will be advantageous to everyone, including infants yet to be born, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said today.

"The manifesto will benefit every race, every minority group and also children and senior citizens up to the age of 90.

"We have also taken into account infants who are yet to be born when preparing the manifesto. They will also benefit,” Ahmad Zahid said in his speech at the launch of Tapah BN’s election machinery here.  

Ahmad Zahid, who is also the BN deputy chairman, added that BN was concerned about every citizen in the country and urged them to vote wisely so that everyone can benefit at the end of the day.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, who is BN chairman, will launch the ruling coalition’s manifesto on April 7 at Stadium Putra in Bukit Jalil, Kuala Lumpur.

Earlier, around 1,000 BN machinery members from Tapah’s Umno, MIC, MCA, MyPPP, Gerakan and a few other parties from the coalition attended the launch ceremony.

The members were dressed in blue, which is BN’s trademark colour. They waved BN flags on the arrival of Ahmad Zahid, who arrived at around 11.30am.  

Also present at the ceremony were MCA president Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai, Perak Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Zambry Abd Kadir, Ayer Kuning assemblyman Datuk Samsuddin Abu Hassan, Chenderiang assemblyman Datuk Dr Mah Hang Soon and a few others.

Ahmad Zahid also urged all the BN machinery in the country to follow the example set by the Tapah BN machinery.

"Doesn’t matter if the candidate who is contesting in a constituency is a Malay, Chinese, Indian, Orang Asli or a Kadazan, but as long as he is a BN candidate, then we should support him.

"The machinery in Tapah has set the example in the previous election by helping MIC to win the parliamentary seat and at the same time, helped Umno and MCA to win the two state seats under the constituency,” he said.

"This could not be achieved if there is no power sharing and ‘white’ voters,” Ahmad Zahid added, referring to pro-BN voters.

"We should avoid ego, personal interest and the interest of the party we represent and focus on the interest of BN as a whole.”

In the last election, BN had a comfortable win in Tapah after Datuk M. Saravanan won the parliamentary seat with a majority of 7,927 votes in a four-cornered fight.

Ayer Kuning and Chenderiang were won by Samsudin and Dr Mah with a majority of 3,485 and 4,767 votes respectively.

Tapah is expected to remain under BN in the 14th general election.