Malaysia’s opposition Pakatan Harapan vows multiculturalism in election manifesto
Opposition coalition Pakatan Harapan (PH) on Wednesday unveiled an election manifesto that emphasized multiculturalism, pledging to help all Malaysians with rising living costs and to recognize a controversial certificate issued by independent Chinese secondary schools.
PH chairman Anwar Ibrahim also promised that a PH administration will have two deputy prime ministers, one from the peninsula and another from Sabah or Sarawak in east Malaysia.
When announcing the manifesto ahead of the general election on Nov 19, Datuk Seri Anwar said the narrative adopted by PH detractors, which has always been about Malay supremacy and religion, goes against humanity and what is truly preached by religion.
“We are united as a force more than before. We will move forward with confidence together,” he said.
PH’s color-blind manifesto aims to help all Malaysians with the rising cost of living, among other challenges, he said.
The coalition will rebuild Malaysia, which has been devastated by Barisan Nasional and Perikatan Nasional in the past 30 months, according to Anwar.
“With our strong will, leadership and clear manifesto, we can redevelop Malaysia again with a big turnout on Polling Day on Nov 19,” he said.
Anwar also promised to make public higher education institutions recognize the Unified Examination Certificate (UEC), the equivalent of the A-level certificate for independent Chinese schools, on the condition that applicants had at least a credit for Malay language in their Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) exam results.
SPM is the equivalent of the O-level exams.
“I want to emphasize that we are confident and do not apologize for our stance, as we stand with all races. The multiculturalism we have in this coalition, which our rivals want to racialize, will not deter our fight for the people,” he said.
“I implore the people to vote for us so that we have a clear majority after GE15 and get rid of this flip-flopping government, bloated Cabinet with 70 ministers, and stop the appointment of special envoys who get paid for doing nothing.”
The UEC is for Malaysia’s 300-plus independent Chinese secondary schools. Its official recognition would allow certificate holders to apply to local universities. Currently, they can apply only to private colleges and universities.
Recognizing the UEC was one of the election promises made by PH in 2018, but the coalition faced hurdles in getting it to materialize after coming to power as most Malay voters were against it because they preferred a single national education system for all students.
On the appointment of a deputy prime minister from Sabah or Sarawak, this would be a first for either state since Malaysia’s independence in 1957, as all 13 DPMs have come from Peninsular Malaysia.
PH also promised to introduce a Fixed Parliament Term Act to ensure that any dissolution of Parliament or state assembly would be made only at the end of the term.
This promise comes amid political instability due to infighting within the ruling government.
Anwar also said PH will continue the practice of asset declaration for all ministers, MPs, senior civil servants, chairmen of government-linked companies, as well as all spouses and close family members aged 18 years old and above.