SHAH ALAM, Nov 6 — Perikatan Nasional (PN) chairman Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin has today promised to give Sunday, November 20 off in Kedah, Kelantan, Terengganu and Johor, or Monday elsewhere if it wins the election.
He said the offer is so outstation voters are able to take either Sunday or Monday off to return to their respective states to vote.
"I know the people's desire to vote is very high. This includes outstation voters who are forced to vote in their hometown or somewhere other than where they live.
"So I want to announce, if Perikatan Nasional wins the election on Saturday 19 November, we will declare a public holiday on Sunday for the states of Kedah, Kelantan, Terengganu and Johor, and Monday for the other states.
"This will allow outside voters to go out to vote without having to apply for a holiday on Sunday or Monday,” he said during the unveiling of the coalition's manifesto titled "PN Best" — Malay slang roughly meaning "PN is awesome".
The same thing was done back in 2018 when then chief secretary to the government Tan Sri Ali Hamsa announced a public holiday on May 10 and 11 in addition to May 13 for states that made Friday and Saturday a weekly holiday after the general election where Pakatan Harapan won.
PN is a coalition of Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia led by Muhyiddin, PAS, Gerakan, as well as two Sabah-based parties — the Homeland Solidarity Party (Star) and Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP).
Muhyiddin tonight unveiled 50 main offers in their manifesto under 12 pillars, 30 approaches and 234 total offers.
The massive offer for stimulating the economy among others are generating one million new high-paying jobs in the digital economy and futures sectors in five years, RM1,000 special incentive for gig workers to further their tertiary education, free one-year internet for digital startups, RM1 billion grants for Fund for Food to increase food production and stabilise food prices, as well as free laptops to all teachers in institutions under the Education Ministry.
PN also promised to increase allocation for health to more than 5 per cent of the gross domestic product (GDP) and tax relief up to RM3,000 to promote healthy lifestyle as well as yearly increment of RM100 per month to civil servants along with the increase of their Cost of Living Allowance (COLA) for them.
For East Malaysia, PN promised to directly pay the state government for petroleum products and to speed up the implementation of the Malaysia Agreement 1963.
For youths and first-time voters, PN said it will offer senator quotas for youths, 25 per cent discount for the National Higher Education Fund (PTPTN) repayments, and introduce a youth micro housing scheme in major cities.
Rival Pakatan Harapan already launched its manifesto last week, and Barisan Nasional's is expected tomorrow.
