’Barisan Nasional can afford to pay for Youth manifesto’

KUALA LUMPUR: Only the tried and tested Barisan Nasional coalition can deliver to youth a better future.

Putting an end to naysayers casting aspersions on the BN Youth Manifesto, which pledged a promising life for the group, its chief, Khairy Jamaluddin, yesterday said the Finance Ministry and the Economic Planning Unit (EPU) had, in fact, approved the plan.

The caretaker youth and sports minister said this was after all considerations and costs had been factored in.

“Each BN Youth manifesto pledge was submitted to both entities (the ministry and EPU) for approval. The difference here is simple — I calculated (the costs of the) pledges and established that they were affordable. You (the opposition) have (promised too), but you can’t afford it.

“The Jaminan Orang Muda (JOM BN) manifesto or Youth Guarantee costs a couple of billion ringgit. We have the costing in place.

“It’s something that the Finance Ministry and EPU have signed off on. So, we are confident that we can pay for it,” he said, while urging youth to look at BN’s track record.

Khairy said youth’s future would be more promising if BN were returned the ruling mandate. He said apart from its track record, BN, this time around, offered youth a complete package that ensured a better quality of life, from birth to their schooling years, right up to when they settle down and start a family.

“Evaluate not based on empty promises but on the ability (of a party) to fulfil its promises, and we have proven that we are capable,” he said after a live discussion on the BN Youth Manifesto with the New Straits Times Press.

Khairy said although social media had been rife with negative comments of BN’s ability, voters should not forget the party’s past success in fulfilling its manifesto promises.

“I’m giving my full commitment to the eight guarantees in the BN Youth Manifesto. We are grateful to the party leadership for materialising the youth manifesto.

“Although the manifesto is provided by youth, it was fully supported by the party leadership and the (caretaker) prime minister (Datuk Seri Najib Razak).

“These are not empty promises. We have implemented more than 90 per cent of the promises in the 13th General Election.”

He also spoke on JOM BN, which promises to offer more job opportunities for the younger generation.

“I am positive that BN will match the job opportunities based on the applicants’ qualifications and experiences.”

He also took aim at the opposition’s manifesto, which he described as “unrealistic”.

“Its promises include free live screening of English Premier League matches, which will cost millions to obtain the broadcasting rights.

“The same applies to its promises to provide toll-free roads and free education at all levels, which will also cost billions.

“In comparison, the manifesto offered by Barisan Nasional (for youth) is more realistic, doable and more affordable.”

Khairy added that a commis-

sion would be set up to push the private sector to improve skills and raise salaries of employees.

He said the move would ensure that the Tawaran Orang Muda programme for youth, which guaranteed job opportunities within six months, was achievable.

“We will provide jobs that suit the applicants. I’m confident that the jobs would match their qualifications and expertise.”

Khairy said he was optimistic that the public would not base their decisions on sentiments when casting their votes.

He said in the last national polls, negative sentiments were spread by urban voters to rural areas, so this time around, BN had what it took to counter them.

“We are ready to face it. We will explain our plans and the BN Manifesto.”

Khairy said on many occasions, voters who thought negatively

about the government changed their perception after hearing both sides of the story from BN leaders.

This was why, he said, voters should make a fair evaluation of BN and not believe biased comments made by certain quarters.

“I believe that those who make decisions based on a rational evaluation can control their emotions, as well as negative sentiments.

“But, they must be fair in making their evaluation and not get carried away by emotions and sentiments.”

Khairy pointed out that the BN Youth Manifesto was comprehensive that even the opposition found it hard to poke holes in it.

“We have short- and long-term plans for youth — one is the BN Youth Manifesto and another is our 30-year plan under the National Transformation 2050.”