Pakatan unveils four-point platform
Written by Chan Kok Leong, The Edge
Pakatan Rakyat (PR) today at its inaugural national convention here unveiled their common platform, which covers four major areas.
The platform, which is the first comprehensive and detailed policy outlined by PR, consists of four major policies: Transparent and Genuine Democracy, Driving a High Performance, Sustainable and Equitable Economy, Social Justice and Human Development and Federal-State Relationship and Foreign Policy.
Selangor Menteri Besar and PKR Treasurer Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim unveiled the platform among PKR, DAP and PAS delegates.
The debate was co-ordinated by PAS Vice President Salahuddin Ayub, DAP Publicity Coordinator Tony Pua and PKR Vice President R Sivarasa.
Each party were allowed two delegates to debate the platform.
PKR de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, DAP Secretary-General Lim Guan Eng and PAS President Datuk Seri Hadi Awang gave the opening speeches.This is the first time delegates from all three PR parties are meeting in a single convention.
Below are the details of the policies outlined by PR:
1.Transparent and Genuine Democracy:
– Defend the Federal Constitution, Islam as the religion of the Federation, and protect the special position of Malays and indegenous peoples in accordance to Article 153.
– Uphold the use of Bahasa Melayu.
– Abolish the Internal Security Act.
– Restore the integrity of the judicial system and grant full independence of the Judicial Appointment Commission.
– Guarantee direct accountability of parliamentary bodies such as the Election Commission, Anti-Corruption Commission, Petronas, Khazanah, and others.
– The appointment of Inspector-General of Police, Attorney-General, Auditor-General and Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) commissioner by Parliament.
– Free all media, amend the Printing Press and Publicaions Act and enact a Freedom of Information Act.
– The automatic registration of voters for all citizens aged 18 and above
2. Driving High Performance, Sustainable and Equitable Economy
– Reform the tender system so that it becomes open, fair and transparent.
– Reject privatisation and renegotiate unfair concession contracts.
– Implement a progressive taxation system and reject Goods and Services Tax.
– Decentralisation and empowerment of state economies by giving grants based on a formula of population, poverty rate, gross revenue per capita.
– Grant negotiating rights to state in public infrastructure works.
– Affirmative action policies based on needs.
– The establishment of a minimum wage for all Malaysian workers and introduce Equal Opportunity Act.
– Introduce a pension scheme for private sector employees and set up a National Retrenchment Fund.
– Extend retirement age to 60 years.
– Coordinate a negotiation system between squatters, developers and authorities.
– Guarantee clean water and electricity at reasonable rates to all.
– Entrench the practice of recycling in our culture, restrict hillside development and cut carbon emission rate.
3. Social Justice and Human Development
– Focus on mending relationships between races and religions.
– Enact the Race Relations Act.
– Strive to eliminate practice of racial politics.
– Hold dialogues between cultures and religions.
– Set up a system to resolve cases that overlap civil and Syariah laws.
– Increase women’s participation in workforce to 60% within 10 years.
– Provide for a 30% women’s representation in all political and government leadership levels.
– Implement recommendations of Royal Commission to Enhance the Operation and Management of the Police.
– Establish a National Healthcare Commission.
4. Federal-State Relationship
– Guarantee a royalty of 20% of petroleum income to state governments.
– Return part of taxes collected to each state based on an equitable distribution formula.
– Increase capitation grants for states.
– Set up a Royal Commission to resolve Sabah and Sarawak’s immigrant issue.
