GAGASAN Sejahtera, led by PAS, has unveiled a 20-point manifesto which promises to scrap the controversial goods and services tax if it captures power at the 14th general election.

The coalition also promises to scrap highway toll and write off higher education loans (PTPTN).

PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang said that they will be coming up with a detailed plan on how the Islamist party and its allies will execute their promises in the “Malaysia Sejahtera” manifesto.

“We will be coming out with a more comprehensive and detailed book on how we are going to implement it,” he said at the launch of the manifesto in Cyberjaya tonight.

Hadi said the first issue they wanted to tackle is the toll concession agreements.

“We have to relook all the concession agreements because the toll rates should be going down but instead it keeps rising.

“When the concession agreement is over then it should be abolished.

“When we took over the Terengganu government in 1999, we abolished tolls.

“Even though we lost millions, we managed to recuperate by charging higher taxes in the industrial and corporate sectors.”

When asked about plans to write off PTPTN loans, Hadi said it can be done.

“We don’t have the figures on the total value of PTPTN loans and how much is owed but we will look into abolishing it.”

Hadi also said they planned to abolish GST, which has been burdening Malaysians.

“We will replace it with corporate saving tax and tax on stocks traded on the share market.”

The coalition also aims to provide free staple food to the poor and to give a one off payment of RM2,000 for women to work from home.

The coalition also plans to introduce a free school bus programme, waive excise duties and offer interest free loans to buy cars below 1.3 litres.

Gagasan Sejahtera then proposed affordable homes to be be set between RM50,000 and RM180,000.

There are plans to also return fully residential schools (SBP) and Maktab Rendah Sains Mara (MRSM) in towns and rural areas.

The coalition wants to strengthen Islam as the federal religion and to make Bahasa Malaysia as the country’s intermediate language in all subjects in school.

The quota system in public higher learning institutes (IPTA) will also be set to balance the education gap between the rich and poor.

Restructuring development policies and new housing for the second and third Felda generations and helping disabled people (OKU) through better support systems.

They also plan to place enforcement officers based on the population of an area to reduce crime.

The coalition will also look into increasing the number of specialist doctors and hospitals in the country. – March 18, 2018.