The Barisan Nasional (BN) manifesto is not just a manifesto, but a document containing 'pledges' to the people, said BN chairman Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.

"I do not want to say it's a manifesto because the opposition says that the manifesto is not a promise. That's why the name 'manifesto' is not quite appropriate.

"I want to say (it's) not a manifesto but a pledge to the people of Malaysia," he said in his speech at the gathering of the 1Malaysia pledge "People First" in conjunction with the launch of the BN 2013 manifesto at the Stadium Putra, Bukit Jalil, tonight.

Najib said as the manifesto or pledge was an important document, it must be launched at a gathering and broadcast live so that the people throughout the country could appreciate the content of the manifesto.

"They can study what is the commitment of the BN to the people," he said.