Draft: Common Platform

for Pakatan Rakyat

v 3.0
 Table of Contents

Preamble

Ketuanan Rakyat

Constitutionalism

Politics and Governance

Sabah and Sarawak

Foreign Policy

Ekonomi Rakyat

Economy

Labour

Infrastructure and Social Services

Urban Policy and Management

Rural Development

Environment

Perpaduan Rakyat

Social Justice

Education

Security

Women’s Rights

Youth, Arts and Culture

Preamble

Conscious of the need to articulate our shared goals and ideals, we, Pakatan
Rakyat:

• Fully committed to the principle of Ketuanan Rakyat, where the

formulation of all government policies, laws, and initiatives will be
guided purely by the sacrosanct interests of the Malaysian people as
well as the genuine spirit and letter of the Federal Constitution,
• Dedicated to create a rising tide of prosperity based on Ekonomi
Rakyat, where all Malaysians from all walks of life will share in the
nation’s prosperity,
• Committed to equality and justice for all in seeking to create
Perpaduan Rakyat, where the rights, culture and heritage of every
Malaysian will be protected regardless of race, religion, class gender
or age, and Article 153 of the Constitution upheld vigorously,

Do hereby publish and adopt this COMMON PLATFORM as the

fundamental and sole basis of our struggle to UNITE THE PEOPLE,
CREATE PROSPERITY FOR ALL, and RESTORE TRUE
DEMOCRACY.
 KETUANAN RAKYAT
Constitutionalism
Pakatan Rakyat will uphold the spirit and the letter of the Federal Constitution in all of its policies and
approach to governance. This founding document of our nation guarantees the rights and privileges of
every Malaysian and must form the basis for any government that truly reflects the aspirations of the
Malaysian people.

Pakatan will vigorously protect the position of Islam as the religion of the Federation as provided for in the
Constitution, and continue to uphold all the provisions of Article 153. Recognising the basic rights of all
Malaysians that are enshrined in the Constitution, Pakatan will guarantee the religious and cultural
freedoms of every Malaysian to ensure justice for all.

The position of the Malay rulers will also be upheld as living symbols of Malaysia’s unique history and
culture who have a vital role to play in the nation as responsible constitutional monarchs.

Politics and Governance

The essence of democratic government goes beyond general elections once every five years. Pakatan
Rakyat will ensure that Malaysia’s institutions once again play the role they were meant to: to check the
power of the Executive, and ensure that integrity and efficiency pervades government.

Parliament, the judiciary and the media in particular must be empowered to fulfil their duties as guardians
of democracy and the interests of the rakyat. These institutions must be revitalised to act as a check and
balance to the excessive powers that have led Malaysia down the roads of corruption and autocracy.

By restoring the oversight functions of elected representatives, upholding the independence of the judiciary,
freeing the media and emboldening those institutions that safeguard democracy, Pakatan will ensure that it
is the rakyat, and not select individuals in power, who ultimately decide the course of the nation.

Competence, accountability and transparency will be at the heart of every institutional structure in
Malaysia’s government, while unconstitutional laws that impede the proper functioning of democracy and
infringe upon the human rights of Malaysians will be amended or repealed immediately, including the
Internal Security Act, Sedition Act, University and University Colleges Act, Police Act, Article 141 of the
Penal Code, the Public Order (preservation) Act 1958, Prevention of Crime Act 1959, Emergency (Public
Order and Prevention of Crime) Ordinance 1969, and Emergency (Essential Powers) Ordinance 1970.

As democracy must exist not only at the top but at every level of government, Pakatan will also restore
local elections to ensure the proper accountability that is necessary for any local government to truly
function in the genuine interests of the people.

Sabah and Sarawak

Pakatan Rakyat is committed to guaranteeing full equity for the people of Sabah and Sarawak. A Pakatan
Rakyat government will return to them their rightful political prominence and fair share of development
long owed to them, in view of the proportion of the nation's oil wealth that they have contributed for so
long.
The people of Sabah and Sarawak have rights over their own governance, due to the autonomous powers
granted to them by the Malaysia Agreement. These long-promised rights and powers shall be restored to
them, and shall be defended and upheld to the best of Pakatan's ability. At the same time, the federal
government must play its role in protecting the people of Sabah and Sarawak from the predatory and
plundering nature of the state governments to which it has been subject in the past.

The people of Sabah and Sarawak have a sovereign right over their own state, and have the right to control
their own borders. While the issue of immigration will remain within their power, a Pakatan government
will give all the assistance and support necessary to solve problems of undocumented migration.

The rights of the Sabah and Sarawak Bumiputras over their Native Customary Land are inalienable and
inviolate. Pakatan shall do everything in its power to ensure that no party can ever again take these rights
away from their true owners.

As part of Malaysia, Sabah and Sarawak shall enjoy the same economic rights and privileges as their
brethren in Peninsular Malaysia, and Pakatan will ensure a free flow of goods and services between
Peninsular Malaysia and Sabah and Sarawak as well as provide the opportunity for the people of Sabah and
Sarawak to manage and plan their economies without being excessively or unjustly dependent on the
Peninsular.

Foreign Policy
Malaysia's foreign policy must reflect its unique strengths and position in the international community.
Pakatan Rakyat will establish Malaysia as an equal in the brotherhood of nations, a robust trading partner,
as well as an ally of impeccable integrity, committed to international law and justice among states. We will
establish Malaysia as a prominent Middle Power and a leader in the Asian Renaissance.

Malaysia will play a reinvigorated leadership role in all the international organisations to which it belongs,
including the United Nations, Commonwealth, OIC, Non-Aligned Movement, South-South Cooperation
and ASEAN. Through these organisations, Malaysia as a Middle Power shall actively pursue ways for
nations to cooperate in their efforts to achieve mutual prosperity and security as well as champion fairness
and justice in the international system, both politically and economically.

Malaysia's active engagement with multi-lateral institutions will be premised on three cardinal goals:
upholding international law in relations between both strong and weak states; committing to fair trade
relations which benefit all strata of economic classes across borders; and ending the undue influence of
powerful states over weaker ones by calling for reform of the international economic system as well as
seeking greater economic justice on a global scale.

Pakatan will build on Malaysia’s historical strengths as the crossroads of Asia in leading an Asian
Renaissance where the diverse cultures of Asia will be synergised to reflect the continent’s growing
resurgence in global politics.

Pakatan will continue guaranteeing Malaysia’s national sovereignty by maintaining our robust armed forces
and ensuring the welfare of all Malaysians in uniform who make gallant sacrifices in the defence of our
nation.
 EKONOMI RAKYAT
Economy
Pakatan Rakyat’s dynamic vision will renew and invigorate Malaysia’s economy and create a rising tide of
prosperity for all. The poor in Malaysia will no longer be denied their share of the country’s abundant
wealth, and no longer will everyday Malaysians face economic hardships on account of leakage and
corruption caused by an irresponsible few.

Pakatan will guide Malaysia’s transition to a high income economy with a skilled workforce that is
empowered to compete on a global level. A true commitment to competence, accountability and
transparency will ensure that Malaysia’s true economic potential is finally unleashed, ushering in an era of
prosperity that more accurately reflects the talents, intelligence, abilities and diligence of all hardworking
Malaysians.

Pakatan’s economic ideology is centrist, as we believe in the need for a balance between market forces and
protecting the welfare of ordinary Malaysians. While the ultimate goal of Malaysia’s economy must be to
achieve the ability to compete effectively in the global market, every effort must be made to ensure a social
safety net protects hardworking Malaysians from the harm that may come of constantly shifting economic
winds.

Every Malaysian in economic need must be given vigorous assistance in order to guarantee them the same
access to economic opportunities available to any other Malaysian. In pursuing policies of distributive
justice and need-based affirmative action, Pakatan will assist all poor and disadvantaged Malaysians
regardless of their background, and seek to work as one nation in bridging the gap between the rich and the
poor, while continuing to grow the economy to benefit all Malaysians.

Pakatan believes that our nation’s assets and natural monopolies must be treated as public goods and
managed accordingly with the highest standards of professionalism and corporate acumen. This will
mediate individual parties from profiteering excessively from privatisation exercises regarding the nation’s
resources, while maintaining the need for certain economic endeavours to be organised professionally and
without excessive government interference.

We will further explore and actively pursue industries wherein Malaysia has a natural comparative
advantage, and shift our industrial foci to fields which can grow Malaysia’s prosperity and economic
standing in the world over the long term.

Labour
Recognising that the millions of ordinary Malaysians who set off for work every day are the backbone of
our economy, Pakatan Rakyat will actively defend and uphold the rights of Malaysian labour, guided by the
principles, standards and conventions of the International Labour Organisation. The cornerstone of
Pakatan’s labour policy will be the enactment of a minimum wage for all Malaysians.

Pakatan will facilitate just relations between employers and labour to ensure that all Malaysian and migrant
workers are treated fairly. Freedom for workers to form unions of their own choice and to withdraw labour
when they choose will be upheld, while the government will make every effort to ensure a mutually
satisfactory negotiated outcome to any labour dispute.

In line with our commitment to ending oppressive labour practices, Pakatan will abolish child labour in
Malaysia by ensuring that every child can attend school and need not work to support their family. Families
who rely on children to supplement insufficient family incomes will be given due compensation and
government support. We will also work to improve working conditions and fairly compensate victims of
industrial accidents, as well as ensure that no worker will be forced to work in excessively dirty or
dangerous conditions.

Pakatan also supports individual workers in their attempt to better themselves and improve their prospects
in our ever-changing, dynamic information economy. Pakatan will facilitate retrenchment funds as a social
safety net, wage subsidies for on the job training, as well as retraining support to workers who find
themselves buffeted by the winds of change, and assist such workers in finding new, gainful employment.
Our approach will promote high employment levels, income security, and flexibility in equipping our
workers for a dynamically changing economy.

Infrastructure and Social Services

Pakatan Rakyat is committed to the full development and industrialisation of our country. To achieve our
objective of making Malaysia a truly developed country, we will build a fully modern infrastructure and
ensure effective public services.

The planning of infrastructure projects will no longer be based on profiteering for a limited few, but truly
reflect the needs of the rakyat. The greater transparency and accountability at the core of Pakatan’s
ideology will ensure less is wasted on megaprojects, while more is spent on truly providing the
infrastructure and services that Malaysia needs.

We will place particular emphasis on ensuring that our nation is ready to take its rightful place on the
information highway by introducing high-speed internet access to the whole nation.

Pakatan appreciates the importance of market mechanisms in promoting efficiency and reducing the costs
of providing public services, but also understands the need for government and social institutions to
provide a moral framework in key social services. Our policies reflect this position, and will ensure our
social services serve neither government nor business, but rather ultimately serve the rakyat and the
community.

Urban Policy and Management

The millions of Malaysians who live in cities deserve to live in a clean, well-managed and efficiently run
urban environment. Under a Pakatan Rakyat government, cities will be well-planned, environmentally
friendly places to live and work.

Public transport in particular will be drastically improved to ease the lives of the many Malaysians who
depend on it. Better facilities as well as proper planning and management will drastically reduce the severe
congestion in our cities while contributing to an environmentally sound city which will be easy and
convenient for all to navigate.

The management of basic urban amenities will reflect Pakatan’s commitment to efficiency and
accountability. The awarding of contracts and tenders in urban management will be held to much higher
standards of efficacy and non-performers quickly replaced.

Urban development must be pursued conscientiously. Developments on hill slopes and other
environmentally contentious areas will be subject to tight scrutiny in order to properly address all
environmental and safety concerns. The number of parks and green lungs in the city will also be increased
manifold to increase the liveability of Malaysia's cities.
Rural Development
Pakatan Rakyat believes that more attention needs to be given to the rural heartland of Malaysia. Specific
development policies are needed for this crucial segment of the population, to ensure that their specific
needs, which differ considerably from their urban counterparts, are more than adequately met.

Pakatan will immediately embark on a mission to provide hundreds of thousands of rural families who lack
electricity and running water access to these basic rights.

Well staffed schools, hospitals and other crucial public services must all be within convenient distance to
even the most remote rural areas, especially in Sabah and Sarawak. It is the right of every Malaysian, no
matter where they live, to be within easy reach of high quality healthcare and education, and Pakatan will
see to it that this right is fulfilled.

Pakatan recognises that Malaysia's rural citizens are a vital part of Malaysia's economy whose contributions
are equal to any urban area of the country. Pakatan will provide all the necessary aid and assistance to
ensure that farmers, fishermen and other rural entrepreneurs are provided with quality infrastructure as well
as the environment necessary to prosper and continue making essential contributions to the nation.

Environment
Malaysia's environment must be preserved as pristinely as possible for all future generations of Malaysians.
Pakatan Rakyat believes in responsible practices that create a sustainable environment, striking a balance
between economic development and environmental protection.

We must not only reduce and manage the pollution we produce, but better manage the limited resources we
have in a way that guarantees a sustainable, green Malaysia. Proper waste management, the sanctity of
Malaysia's flora and fauna, and a new energy policy that emphasises renewable sources and low carbon
footprints will all be central to Pakatan's policies for a greener Malaysia.

Pakatan will reduce deforestation to sustainable levels by encouraging greater productivity and use of the
land we have already developed. Wildlife trafficking will also be dealt with severely. Our natural heritage
must be preserved to ensure a green Malaysia for generations to come.

Malaysia will also play a leadership role in tackling both regional global environmental problems, and will
lead positive changes by example.
 PERPADUAN RAKYAT
Social Justice
Pakatan Rakyat believes that our nation’s future can only be guaranteed by the creation of a just society,
where there shall be equality of opportunity for all regardless of race and creed. The commitment of every
Malaysian to the values of a just society will ensure mutual respect and trust amongst different races and
religions, and fairness and freedom for all.

Pakatan Rakyat will respect and protect the culture and heritage of Malaysians. All ethnic groups and their
cultural practices will be protected and given full recognition of their status as core elements of a Malaysian
identity.

In line with Article 153, Malaysia’s unique history, culture and linguistic heritage must be preserved and
upheld. Our national cultural policy shall also embrace universal values shared by all Malaysians, and
include the entire spectrum of Malaysian cultures in an open and inclusive manner.

A transparent and responsible need-based affirmative action programme will be put into place to uplift all
lower-income households out of poverty, regardless of race. All poor Malaysians from all ethnic
backgrounds will be given full assistance to break the cycle of poverty and provided with both economic
and educational opportunities.

Pakatan Rakyat upholds the position of Islam as the religion of the Federation, while fully recognising the
the rights of all Malaysians from all religious communities to practice their faith as they choose.

Pakatan understands that our chequered history of ethnic relations necessitates a sensitive approach to
social policy. We will protect the rights of all communities, and ensure every Malaysian has a place to live
peacefully and prosperously in Malaysia.

Education
Pakatan Rakyat will ensure that our national education system is the cornerstone for developing Malaysia’s
young minds and building a united, holistically educated nation. Our education system must be balanced,
and nourish both the intellect and the spirit of Malaysia’s youth.

Pakatan supports vernacular and religious schools as equal partners in our effort to bring knowledge and
learning to all corners of Malaysia, but continues to uphold national schools as the central institution in
educating our young. We will carry out the reforms to our national schools that have been long necessary to
reflect the true potential and ability of both Malaysian teachers and Malaysian students. Pakatan will ensure
that our national schools are as capable and as competitive as any of their counterparts, locally or abroad.

Our educational institutions are the best places to counter the corrosive effects of racial, religious and class
narrow-mindedness, and to tear down the accumulated layers of prejudices and suspicions within our
society. We will depoliticise our educational institutions to ensure that free and open dialogue can take
place without fear of censorship or repression.

Malaysia’s education system must be comprehensive in guaranteeing better access and wider coverage to
educational opportunities for all levels of society, especially the poor and differently able. We will institute
a full and transparent system in the distribution of educational assistance such as loans and scholarships,
providing aid solely on the basis of merit and economic need.
Our national curriculum will better reflect the educational needs of a globalised world and emphasise
critical thinking skills and a holistic education without being overly dependent on examination-centric
approaches to teaching.

Pakatan believes that educational institutions must be made to be more responsive to the needs and
demands of their students. We will give more autonomy to schools, colleges and universities, shifting
power and control away from the centralized bureaucracy to the local level of state governments, school
boards and local communities.

Finally, Pakatan Rakyat will give informal education equal attention as formal education. We will
strengthen our other institutions such as libraries, museums, art galleries and theatres as places where
informal education for all levels of society may take place.

Security
Pakatan Rakyat will spare no effort in fighting the scourge of crime in our country. The management of our
police will be reviewed thoroughly in an effort to refocus efforts from unnecessary control over Malaysians
to genuine crime fighting and crime prevention.

In pursuit of this goal, Pakatan will implement the recommendations of the Royal Commission for Police
Reform, including the setting up of an IPCMC. We will furthermore undertake a thorough revamp of the
conditions of service of the Royal Malaysian Police Force, with a view towards making sure our policemen
and women are paid better and enjoy better, safer working conditions.

Pakatan will seek to restore public confidence in our police, who nobly risk their lives to protect ours, by
ensuring that they are equipped with the best technology, training, and most importantly, leadership to
facilitate the performance of their duties. The duty of the police will be restored to protecting the people,
not the interests of the elite.

Pakatan will combat crime unceasingly and without compromise, and not dismiss the concerns of the
people of Malaysia as issues of “perception.” Pakatan will uphold the independence of our judiciary,
reward honest and hardworking police officers, and come down hard on those who break the law.

Women’s Rights
Pakatan Rakyat is fully committed to giving women the equal opportunity they deserve to contribute to our
society, and an equal reward for their contributions. Regardless of whether they contribute at home or in the
workplace, we owe the millions of women in our country a debt of gratitude. Pakatan will recognise the
equal rights of women and give equal recognition for their often-overlooked work as homemakers as well
as provide equal protection from violence and repression. Pakatan is committed towards 30%
representation of women in leadership positions in politics and government.

Pakatan will fully support women who seek a career. Laws that require workplaces to provide greater
support and assistance to career women with families will be passed to level the playing field for such
women. As the government, Pakatan will support women by subsidising special training programmes, as
well as day-care services for working mothers.

Pakatan will work towards economic equality of opportunity in the arena of gender as well. We will reform
our employment laws to ensure equal pay for equal work, and to prohibit arbitrary hiring, firing or
promotion policies which discriminate against Malaysians based on gender. We shall introduce gender
sensitive budgets at all levels of government which will recognise the contributions of women and men
who choose to be homemakers, and provide tax credits for families with children and a stay-at-home
parent. Pakatan will also expand access quality medical care for all women’s health issues.

Our laws will be made fair to all parties in the event of a divorce or other family conflicts, and protect
women from abuse of any kind. Pakatan’s commitment towards ending violence and discrimination
towards women is unbending. We will amend the Domestic Violence Act to ensure victims of domestic
abuse can easily obtain protection under the law, and that offenders are punished to the fullest extent. Our
hospitals and police stations will provide a one-stop crisis centre for all victims of abuse.

As part of our commitment towards gender awareness, we will also introduce gender sensitisation in our
school curricula and gender sensitive training programmes for civil servants and other authorities. We will
also work to raise awareness amongst women about their rights, under both our civil and Syariah laws.

Youth, Arts and Culture

Youth, arts and culture are the lifeblood of any nation, and Pakatan Rakyat will ensure that this is reflected
in national policy and planning for the nation's future.

Malaysia’s youth will be given the chance to mature and explore their full potential. Pakatan will
emphasise polices that give our youth a chance to realise that potential. The child of a rubber tapper or
fisherman must have equal rights and opportunities to aspire to be a doctor or engineer, as the child of an
accountant or a business executive.

Pakatan will recognise that our youth must gradually be entrusted with more responsibilities as they near
adulthood, and that they have the right to be informed and consulted on decisions which affect them.

In looking to our future, Pakatan recognises that the arts and culture are pivotal tools in building a common
Malaysian identity and are vitally important for the holistic development of Malaysia's heart and soul.

Pakatan will work to support our artists, who give voice to our people's aspirations on canvas, film and the
radio, and who help promote the continued development of our country's many cultures. Our diverse
cultural heritage will continue to be protected, while full space for exploring the combination of such
cultures and developments of new ones will also be given.