KUALA LUMPUR – Selangor state election candidate for Permatang, Mohd Yahya Mat Sahri, who is contesting under Pakatan Harapan (PH)’s ticket, has announced a five-point manifesto for the rural constituency today.
If elected, Yahya said his main focus for Permatang’s constituents will be on their education, economic development through entrepreneurship, community well-being, youth and women’s empowerment, and environmental sustainability.
“As a state assemblyman, you will not be able to do anything without the aid of the government. That is why I call for over 30,000 Permatang voters to vote for PH, as we are part of the federal government and (soon to be) the state government.
“I want to bring Permatang forward; it will become the focus of the state, the nation, and the world,” he said at a press conference via Facebook Live today.
Popularly known as “Pak Ya”, he said the people of Permatang will have a far greater chance to achieve economic development if the seat is under the unity government.
Pak Ya’s manifesto, among others, calls for widening the SPM Clinic programme, which provides free tuition classes for SPM students, encouraging SPM graduates to go into Technical and Vocational Education and Training, setting up new cooperatives while reviving the inactive ones to boost economic development, and building a museum to remember the Permatang’s contribution to the palm oil industry in Malaysia.
“If elected, the first thing I will do right after the swearing-in is to present my plans to the state government and ensure that Permatang will receive its deserved attention on the implementation of matters that are being demanded by the people,” he said.
The PKR member is facing a straight fight with Perikatan Nasional’s Nurul Syazwani, daughter of seasoned politician and former Tg Karang MP Tan Sri Noh Omar.
During the last state election in 2018, Permatang was won by PH’s Rozana Zainal Abidin with a 1,158-vote majority over BN.
Yahya was once a special officer to the former Selangor menteri besar, the late Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim.
His surprise candidacy had been questioned by various quarters as he had been convicted of criminal breach of trust in 2016 and was sentenced to two years’ jail and two strokes of the cane.
However, in response, PKR information chief Fahmi Fadzil said the party has evaluated the matter thoroughly, clarifying that there were no issues with Yahya’s candidacy and that he is not part of the “court cluster” despite his conviction. – July 30, 2023