GE14 | PSM's Semenyih candidate S Arutchelvan today unveiled his 15-point manifesto and signed a personal letter of undertaking for voters to hold him accountable for his promises.

The manifesto was divided into four main agendas - upgrading public amenities, encouraging direct participation of Semenyih residents in their local administration, protecting the environment and socio-economic upgrades.

Among its highlights included a proposal to improve maintenance of low-cost flats and the quality of life for its dwellers.

Rather than the Pakatan Harapan-led caretaker state government's policy to grant an exemption on assessment tax for low-cost flats, Arutchelvan instead proposed for residents to be relieved of the annual maintenance fees.

He said this was because unlike those living in landed properties, many low-cost flat dwellers were still unable to afford the payment for maintenance fees.

"So we are proposing that for those who live in low-cost flats, the maintenance fee is waived but assessment tax is reinstated.

"The amount collected will be used by the local councils to maintain the flats," Arutchelvan said during the launch of the manifesto at Restaurant 77 in Semenyih.

He also promised to campaign for the local government clinic to be upgraded to a hospital, as well as for an additional MRT station to be built in Semenyih from Stadium Kajang with feeder buses connecting to Beranang - a Malay-majority township about 10km from Semenyih town.

Under the agenda of encouraging people's direct participation, Arutchelvan pledged to introduce local elections for villagers, low-cost flats dwellers and residential neighbourhoods to elect their chiefs.

"There needs to be a system where we build a community in each area because they can play a bigger role to be the local government."

Arutchelvan gave the example of how an elected chief could confirm that work such as grass cutting had been carried out before a contractor can claim for payments from the local council.

'Tough campaigning period'

Arutchelvan, who is contesting in Semenyih for the third time, said the recent redelineation exercise saw additions of new voters from Seri Putera and Sungai Kantan - increasing the number of Malay voters to about 68 percent.

"So far the feedbacks have been good for them... but the weather is terrible. It is so hot in the day and at night it will rain.

"Many days we set up our ceramah at night but then it rained and not many people came," said Arutchelvan, who also conceded that he had some difficulties penetrating the Malay villages in Beranang.

Arutchelvan is in a four-cornered fight for Semenyih with incumbent Johan Abdul Aziz from BN, PKR's Bakhtiar Mohd Nor and PAS' Mad Shahmidur Mat Kosim.