KUCHING: Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) has been told to stop selectively allocating minor rural project (MRP) grants.
Parti Sarawak Bersatu (PSB) in a press statement yesterday said it was compelled to speak out after Deputy Chief Minister Tan Sri Datuk Amar Dr James Masing told reporters following an event Wednesday, that MRP grants would continue to be distributed if the people voted for GPS in the next state election.
“If the people, particularly non-governmental organisations (NGOs), want MRPs to be continued, vote for GPS and I’ll give the MRP in 2021,” Masing was quoted as saying.
He said this after presenting the first phase of MRP grants for his Baleh constituency to recipients at his office in Bangunan Baitulmakmur, Petra Jaya here.
In response, PSB said: “What Tan Sri Masing did not say was that MRP funds are only being given out selectively to constituencies held by GPS, to punish those in areas which did not elect GPS candidates during the last state election.
“What Tan Sri Masing also did not say is that this MRP money is actually from the government, which belongs to the people of Sarawak and not to GPS.”
PSB stressed that MRP funds are not money for Masing to give or distribute only to those who voted for GPS component parties.
“How much is the MRP for each constituency? An astonishing RM2 million under the purview of our GPS state legislative assembly members (full ministers have RM4 million) plus RM5 million for Rural Transformation Programme,” it said.
PSB claimed that on top of the minimum RM7 million allocated to each GPS assemblyman, there is an additional RM1 million allocated for house repairs in each GPS-held constituency which goes directly into the personal account of the respective assemblymen, bringing the overall sum that each GPS assemblyman receives to RM8 million.
“The manner in which the funds are distributed is grossly unfair, unjust, lacks integrity, and is an abuse of democratic practice and principles.
“There are currently 82 state assemblymen comprising all sons and daughters of Sarawak. It is the fiduciary duty of an elected government to treat all citizens equally irrespective of race, religion, or social background, and, yes, even different political inclinations.
“After all, even in those areas where the opposition won state seats, there are a large number of people who voted for GPS. Just because GPS did not win the seats does not allow GPS or Tan Sri Masing to be selective and punish the people in those constituencies,” PSB said, adding the money in fact belonged to the people and not GPS.
To those who are given MRP grants, there is no need to feel obligated because it is your own money and it is your entitlement, the party said. It said the people should accept all funds and projects as it is the duty of the government to provide all these.
“Do not allow GPS to use MRP grants to influence your vote. Take the money but vote for the party that you believe will bring about greater equality and justice.
“To those who are not given MRP because the majority of your people did not vote for GPS, you can demand GPS to stop this practice of selectively giving out MRP.”
In condemning the selective practice of presenting MRP grants, PSB said if elected to form the next state government, it would not only continue to give MRP but also ensure that grants are given to all 82 state constituencies regardless of which political party held the seat.
It said it will also ensure that all MRP given are administered transparently and subject to a public audit.

My comments:
I don't know when Sarawakians will all wake up and in joint force to flush out the X-BN GPS-PN for good, to break up 56 over years of political monopoly and so economic monopoly to give way to PBK/Parti Bumi Keyalang which will lead Sarawak to independence and break off from the domination and colonisation of the Malayan government once and for all.