I’m trying to vary the contents of me blog. Boring will it be if it solely be bananafied’s voice always (in Yoda language).
So, here’s another article from a friend in Sarawak to dedicate to BC’s dear readers. Any comments, you know what to do lar.
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How About A Score For Sarawak?
There is one important question that a proud Sarawakian voter will question their election candidates before they pre-qualify them, especially to the novice politicians before letting them make long range policies on behalf of the people of the state.
We all know about those familiar faced candidates who have been involved in mapping out the Sarawak State Assembly policy for its economic and education future. From the Barisan Nasional’s side, they’re the ones who have been seen participating and contributed input into drawing up of crucial state developmental policies like education which achieved its goal of establishing 3 public universities, 3 private universities, 38 private colleges or university branch campuses. Another important developmental policy for the economic growth is outlined in SCORE (Sarawak Corridor Of Renewable Energy) that we keep reading about in the newspaper ever since BN highlighted it prominently in their manifesto.
Before we proceed, let’s arrive at a common understanding of what is a manifesto. According to Wikipedia, it is a public declaration of policy and aims, especially one issued before an election by a political party or candidate.
For this round of the Sarawak state election, the manifestos from both Barisan Nasional and Pakatan Rakyat are already disseminated to the voting public and hopefully will not escape the scrutinizing of the all voters who may or may not be partial to any contesting party.
Let’s check out BN’s manifesto which actually has a long range plan via Score to change Sarawak to become the richest State in Malaysia. According the elaboration, Score would increase the state’s per capita income to RM97,500 by 2030, compared with RM45,000 in 2020 and RM37,287 last year.
So, what’s in the Score that is relevant to the normal man who needs to make a living from day to day to feed his family? A further check with the manifesto (by the way, this is a good authority to reference now that it is a made as promise by BN) says that Score is capable of generating 836,000 jobs by 2030, including 44,000 at the professional and management levels as well as 82,000 engineering and technical jobs. Ok, increase of job opportunities checked for the future.
Next, which sector of the economy that BN tells me I should guide my children to specialise in their studies so that they can ride on the economic road map?
Vide Score, BN will give special emphasis to oil, aluminium, iron, glass, marine engineering and food processing in the halal hub. Ok, checked – areas of education for children to pursue in their studies, if they do so desire.
Additionally, BN promises to do the following which I don’t think anybody will pick a quarrel with:
• The protection of the environment,
• The preservation of the culture,
• Traditions of all the peoples in the state; generating more employment and business opportunities;
• Providing more education opportunities and guaranteeing the people’s rights over their lands.
• Improve quality of life, basic amenities and infrastructure eg: roads, water supply, electricity, health services and housing would be provided.
Well, so much for BN’s manifesto.
What does Pakatan Rakyat’s 10 point manifesto tell voters?
Basically, to give the state’s wealth to the people. guarantee of freedom of religion, free WiFi to move Sarawak into a knowledge-state, a Competency, Accountability and Transparency system of governance, respecting the 18-points agreement and a promise to investigate allegations of ill-gotten wealth of BN leaders and their cronies.
Kudos for display of nice ideals and admirable aspiration, realistically please give details of your long range plans to your intelligent voters? How about a policy plan to 2020 or beyond to prove Pakatan’s here to stay, Baru Bian? Do consider this important hallmark of a government before attempting to score for the Pakatan ship.
By: Bintang Bulan
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