MELAKA - Pakatan Harapan (PH) has pledged to repeal the state legislation allowing the appointment of seven Melaka state assembly members if it wins the mandate to govern the state in the 16th Melaka election.
Melaka PH chairman Adly Zahari said savings from abolishing the appointed seats would be channelled towards homeownership assistance for young people and programmes to develop young entrepreneurs.
He said the proposal was among the coalition's pledges under its Aspirasi Melaka Rumah Kita manifesto, which focuses on addressing the needs of residents, particularly the younger generation.
"The provision allowing seven appointed assembly members was approved by the State Legislative Assembly under the previous Barisan Nasional administration.
"If the people of Melaka give PH the mandate, we will abolish these seven appointed seats,” he told a daily press conference at the PH operations centre in Bukit Baru today.
Adly said PH also planned to reopen the Chief Minister’s official residence at Seri Bendahara for regular meet-the-people sessions if it returned to power.
He said the initiative, introduced during PH’s administration in 2018, would allow residents to raise concerns directly with the state's top leadership and seek solutions.
"We held these sessions every Friday when PH governed Melaka, and many of the issues raised could be resolved through direct engagement between residents and state leaders,” he said.
Meanwhile, Adly, who is also PH's candidate for the Bukit Katil state seat, urged voters to support the coalition’s candidates contesting 24 of the 28 seats in the state election.
He said PH wanted the opportunity to demonstrate its ability to represent constituents, address local concerns and implement its election pledges.
"Give us the opportunity to serve in the Melaka State Assembly. We want to prove our capabilities through constituency work, legislative action and policies that deliver on our pledges. Your vote is a trust we will not squander,” he said.
Adly also urged Melaka voters living outside the state to plan their journeys home ahead of polling this Saturday.
He encouraged local voters to cast their ballots early, preferably in the morning, as rain was common in the afternoon. - BERNAMA