As the election date draws ever nearer, the level of pledges ramps up considerably.IT’S a phenomenon that occurs once every four years. But this time around, the stakes are higher.
We are of course talking about election promises; that ever-present carrot dangled in front of voters to entice them to cast their votes this way or that way. Never a cause for dullness in Malaysian politics, you can be sure that whenever a new initiative or pledge comes about on what goodies the rakyat has in store should they vote for a certain party, coffee shops as well as internet forums will be abuzz with those lauding its merits or slamming its perceived weaknesses.
The ruling Barisan Nasional has been criticized by the Opposition and the latter’s sympathizers for what they claimed to be efforts at currying favour with the public. The ‘goodies’ have come in several forms, such as the Bantuan Rakyat 1Malaysia (BR1M) handouts, which sees low-income families receiving a one-off RM500 payout.
Taxi drivers have also not been neglected, with their present arriving via the Teksi Rakyat 1Malaysia (TR1MM) initiate. Some 67,000 cabbies stand to benefit from the RM35 million move, which sees cabbies getting vouchers worth RM520 which can be used to purchase four brand new tyres each.
Education has also not been overlooked, via the Tuisyen Rakyat 1Malaysia (i-TR1M) programme, which provides free tuition classes for 10,000 students undergoing the UPSR, PMR and SPM papers.
Pakatan Rakyat, on the flipside, has not exactly been sitting idly. Never one to shy away from pledges, theirs have run the gamut from the ever-popular lowering of petrol prices; the dismantling of the PTPTN loan system and make education free for all via Petronas money; and the abolition of the cabotage policy.
The latest one is perhaps the most impressive yet: a pledge to reduce the price of cars should they come into power. The rationale behind this move, they claimed, was that the current National Automotive Policy was designed to “protect the interest of BN cronies at the expense of the people.”
Realistic or otherwise, neutral observers would have noted that as the election date draws ever nearer, the level of pledges ramps up considerably. Perhaps what both sides really need is some tips as to what really constitutes a solid election pledge that will unashamedly garner the attention of the man on the street.
Consider these:
- Reduced working hours for civil servants
Truly a sure-fire winner. At last tally, Malaysia has approximately 1.3 million civil servants just waiting to be seduced into voting for those who can offer them the best possible terms. And it doesn’t come much better than the opportunity to work less and earn the same amount of dough every month. Imagine a four-day work week with three days off. Sure, the administration will fall apart, bureaucratic red tape will choke all Malaysians, but with 1.3 million votes are at stake, it’s worth it.
- Abolition of the RM1 registration fee at government hospitals
Although not quite on the same level as extra days off from the office, this could still be a tempting premise. Malaysians are on the most part known for our love of bargains. A ringgit saved is a ringgit saved. Picture a visit to the hospital without the need for fork out your hard-earned RM1 for registration and instead, pay only a piddling amount for heavily-subsidised medicine.
- Allowances for retirees
A recent survey by the Centre for Strategic and International Studies recently suggested that Malaysians are not ready to retire early, thanks to low rates of pension receipt under the Employees Provident Fund (EPF). Four out of five Malaysian retirees, the study claims, are worried about being poor. With population booming, experts anticipate an even higher number of retirees, many of whom will be unprepared for a life of almost zero income. As such, what better way could there be to attract the votes of the elderly than by waving the promise of free money? With steady income every month, what right-minded senior citizen would fail to look up kindly towards the hand that literally feeds them?
- Cash rewards for first marriages
A morally-upright society is a productive society. Imagine the everyday young Malaysian couple, who are respectively tied down by financial obligations and simply can’t afford to get hitched. The solution? A government-sponsored wedding, thus easing the financial burden on the young lovers. This particular idea would probably go down well among those originating from more religiously-inclined parties as not only does it help the cash-strapped, it could also reduce the number of khalwat cases or incidences of couples living in sin.
Pipe dreams? Maybe so. But in all seriousness, Malaysians need to take a moment and reflect as to whether pledges, regardless of whether made by the ruling coalition or the Opposition, are feasible and analyse the impact it would have on future generations. It is easy to be dazzled and seduced by the promise of what could be, but ultimately, common sense needs to prevail. One can only hope that this realization kicks in before Malaysians take to the voting booths soon.
-- mD
