KeADILan Manifesto 2008: A New Dawn For Malaysia

KeADILan Manifesto 2008: A New Dawn For Malaysia - Petaling JayaFebruary 26, 2008: Datin Seri Dr. Wan Azizah, President, Parti KeADILan Rakyat announced the party’s Manifesto entitled ”A New Dawn for Malaysia” at a press conference in Petaling Jaya this afternoon (February 26, 2008). Also present were Dato Seri Anwar Ibrahim,de facto Party leader, and Dr. Syed Hussin Ali, Deputy President. She said that the Manifesto”encapsulates KeADILan’s vision for putting Malaysia back on track. It describes how we will build a nation that reflects the true potential, talent and calibre of the Malaysian people. It centres on five central positions that the Party believes are key to start the healing process in the country”.

Pelancaran Manifesto KeADILan - DSAI bersama dengan Presiden Dr. Wan Azizah hari ini melancarkan Manifesto KeADILan 2008 - Harapan Baru Untuk Malaysia di pejabatnya di Petaling Jaya. Turut hadir adalah Timbalan Presiden Dr. Syed Husin Ali, Naib Presiden Sivarasa Rasiah dan Ketua Penerangan Tian Chua. Versi cetak akan dimuat naik dalam masa terdekat. Buat sekarang, manifesto tersebut boleh dibaca dalam di laman web KeADILan - Versi Bahasa Malaysia , Bahasa Inggeris , Bahasa Cina dan Bahasa Tamil.

ELECTION 2008: PKR's 5-point manifesto promises RM1,500 minimum wage: Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) unveiled today a five-point manifesto themed A New Dawn for Malaysia, including the promise for a minimum wage of RM1,500. - The party pledged to: Make Malaysia a truly constitutional state, guaranteeing basic human rights, rule of law and an independent judiciary; Create a vibrant economy, eliminatingn discriminative policies, corruption and wastage; Make streets andn neighbourhoods safer through creating a professional and neutral police force; Make Malaysia more affordable by lowering petrol prices, ensuringn tolls and tariffs will never be raised unreasonably; and, Increase then standard of Malaysian education, including higher salaries for educators. The manifesto was launched by de factor leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim at his office today. Also present was president and wife Datin Seri Wan Azizah Wan Ismail and other central committee members. Anwar was confident that the manifesto can stand up against Barisan Nasional’s manifesto. “Unlike the BN’s feel good blanket, the PKR proposed policies that actually address real issues,” he said. “BN policies is much a do with nothing.”

Malaysia's Anwar vows to dismantle race policies: Malaysia's opposition figurehead Anwar Ibrahim vowed Tuesday to end race-based discrimination policies, lower fuel prices and fight corruption in a policy manifesto ahead of March 8 polls.
Anwar, who was deputy prime minister until being sacked and jailed in 1998, said long-running policies favouring majority Malays had only benefited cronies of the ruling United Malays National Organisation (UMNO).
"The New Economic Policy has been abused to enrich the family of UMNO leaders and their cronies," said Anwar who is campaigning for the Keadilan formally led by his wife. "If you really want to deal with the issue of poverty, why can't we just say we have an affirmative action policy helping the poor and the marginalised. It should not be racially based."
Malaysia has pursued an affirmative action program for Malays and indigenous groups known as "bumiputras" since the 1970s to close a wealth gap with the minority Chinese community.
However, it has been criticised for failing to pull a large number of Muslim Malays out of poverty, and of ignoring the minority ethnic Indian community, which is also disadvantaged.
The manifesto entitled "A New Dawn for Malaysia," centred on battling rising inflation, which has triggered public anger and rare public protests as the prices of food and fuel edge higher.

Former M’sian deputy premier Anwar to run for office

Former Malaysian deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim looks set to make his political comeback through a proxy in the forthcoming general election (hotly speculated in March), and eventually a by-election in May, according to reports here, and here...

PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim has dropped tantalising hints to voters that he may contest a by-election in Balik Pulau, on Penang island, in May.

He was addressing a ceramah last Saturday in Kampung Terang in Balik Pulau, the island’s only rural parliamentary constituency, one of three locations he visited in his home state during a weekend of campaigning.

Speaking from a dilapidated wooden house that stands on eroding concrete stilts, he said: “In 1987, while I was in the cabinet, I insisted that this whole area be supplied with electricity and piped water. It was supplied but there has been little further improvement to this place since then. If the PKR candidate wins here in the coming election (widely expected in March), I may contest here in a by-election in May.”

The crowd of some 500 cheered. They obviously knew that this could see a dramatic transformation of the constituency from rural rusticity to something better. After all, the ruling Barisan Nasional had shown its munificent strategy in the Ijok by-election, for example.

Earlier, Anwar had pointed out Yusmadi Yusoff (photo - see dinmerican -ed.) to the crowd, a gesture that could be interpreted as a sign of his eventual selection to contest the Balik Pulau seat. Yusmadi, 32, was born in Balik Pulau and now practises law in Kuala Lumpur. He joined PKR last July, and had accompanied Anwar to the ceramah.

Anwar is barred by law from contesting the elections up to April 15, following his conviction and six-year jail sentence for corrupt practice.

BN confident of winning polls

PUTRAJAYA: Barisan Nasional is confident of winning a two-thirds majority in the upcoming general election, its deputy chairman, Datuk Seri Najib Razak, said yesterday. The deputy prime minister, who is also Umno deputy president, said despite the current issues being played up by the opposition, BN was confident of achieving it.

"Yes, of course. We are positive (about winning) and we must have that positive attitude," he said after chairing the National Social Council meeting at the Implementation and Co-ordination Unit in the Prime Minister's Department.

"Obviously, we are hoping to get more than that (two-thirds)," Najib said, adding that voters would not be easily swayed by accusations hurled against the BN by the opposition.

He said the opposition would make all sorts of promises to entice voters.

"In the first place, do we need to respond to their antics? Their promises are nothing and unrealistic."

The latest gimmick by Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) was that it would pay allowances to housewives if the party won in the general election.

Najib said voters knew BN's track record and appreciated what it had done to improve the quality of life of the people.

© Copyright 2008 The New Straits Times Press (M) Berhad. All rights reserved.

PAS to contest 60 parliamentary seats

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 5 (ES) – The Islamic Party of Malaysia (PAS) will be contesting in 60 parliamentary seats in the next general election, widely expected to feature one to one fights between the opposition and the ruling coalition.

PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang hinted that the party would need to be "practical" in its campaigning in the next general election, in view of the limited seats at the parliamentary level that it would contest.

The next general election is expected to be held next month. Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Badawi however has the prerogative to hold the election as late as next year. Malaysia has about 220 parliamentary seats.

"What's important (for the party is to highlight) the objective (of justice for all, drawn) from practices that is acceptable to all races," Abdul Hadi said in an impromptu press conference held at the party headquarter here today.

Also present was People Justice Party (KeADILan) de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim. Several high ranking party officials from both parties were also present. MORE HERE