‘500,000 PEOPLE MOBILISED
Jalinan Rakyat, JR Plus key to connecting people and the govt, says Wanita Umno chief
KUALA LUMPUR
FOR the first time in history, Umno is being led by an election machinery of half a million people, comprising Wanita Umno’s Jalinan Rakyat (JR) programme, as well as the JR Plus programme with other wings and component parties.
Wanita Umno chief Tan Sri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil said the programme not only involved houseto-house visits, but was also a platform to bridge the gap between the people and the government, as well as the authorities.
“The 14th General Election (GE14) is expected to be historic as for the first time ever, we are led by an integrated machinery of half a million people.
“This is Jalinan Rakyat, which is working with the aim to achieve their key performance indicator.
“This is supported by JR Plus, which combines the might of Umno Youth and Puteri with Barisan Nasional component parties.
“This became a reality in April, thanks to party president Datuk Seri Najib Razak. The JR and JR Plus regiments do not only go from house to house to meet the people, but they also serve as a bridge between the people, elected representatives and the authorities,” Shahrizat said in her winding-up speech at the 71st Umno General Assembly here yesterday.
She said Wanita embraced four values in facing GE14: courage, loyalty to the leadership, steering forward as a ship of warriors with one captain and sincerity in serving the people.
She called on private sector employers to reduce their dependency on unskilled workers who were paid lower wages and, instead, replace them with local workers with higher salaries.
This move, she said, would help spur the people’s economy.
She said Wanita had helped in efforts to address the cost of living issues. Its 20,730 branches had been mobilised to work under the Friends of KPDNKK (Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Ministry) programme.
She said representatives from Wanita branches went down to the ground to monitor prices of goods.