theborneopost.com
Don’t praise Najib just yet, says See
See Chee How
KUCHING:
Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg and the Sarawak
state government should stop singing praises of Prime Minister Datuk
Seri Najib Tun Razak when nothing material and definite with regards
Sarawak’s autonomous rights under the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) and
devolution of power to Sarawak is delivered from Putrajaya, or they may
risk losing support of Sarawakians for their candidates in Sarawak,
said Batu Lintang assemblyman See Chee How.
See was commenting on
Abang Johari’s statement at Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB)
convention on Saturday, officiated by Najib, that the latter (Najib) had
done a lot for Sarawak and that Sarawakians should be grateful for it
and return the favour.
“The promise by Najib that the power and
the rights of the people in Sarawak taken away ‘by design or
inadvertently’ will be returned to Sarawak has turned stale.
“It
has gone backward because the Prime Minister has a new promise that a
high-level committee at the federal level would be established to
negotiate with Sarawak on outstanding rights issues under the MA63.
“The ship is still in the dock, at Putrajaya,” exclaimed See, who is also state PKR vice-chairman yesterday.
Najib,
in his speech at the PBB convention, gave his assurance that he is
sincere when it comes to returning what rightly belongs to the people of
Sarawak.
“I have promised, if we have by design or inadvertently,
took the power and the rights of the people in Sarawak, I am willing to
return them back to Sarawak. We don’t need to take the rights of other
people. We are in one family. What is important is, we remain in the BN
government and our country Malaysia,” Najib was quoted as saying.
In
response to Abang Johari’s speech that Sarawak had during the last
State Legislative Assembly sitting passed a government motion to form a
high-level special taskforce to take over the state’s negotiation with
the federal government, Najib said a high-level committee at the federal
level would be established to negotiate with Sarawak on outstanding
rights issues under the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63).
See said
Najib should not point fingers at others for the wrongs of the federal
government taking away Sarawak’s rights over the last 55 years.
“Not
only was he in the federal government for the most part of the 55
years, he (Najib) was already the prime minister when the Territorial
Sea Act 2012 was passed to cause the biggest blow to Sarawak’s
territorial integrity and sovereignty and he has until today not say a
word about Sarawak’s request for repeal and/or amendment.”
See was
referring to the government’s motion on Sarawak’s rights, which
included the seeking of amendment to Territorial Sea Act 2012, which was
unanimously passed by the Sarawak Legislative Assembly in 2015.
“The
late Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Adenan Satem had made the representation to
Putrajaya during his reign as the Chief Minister of Sarawak. The
present CM should take up the responsibility to continue with the
representation if he is sincere to follow through the legacy of the late
Tok Nan. If we cannot safeguard our territorial integrity and sovereign
rights to our territory, what is there for Sarawak?
“We must also
be reminded that the late Tok Nan did not brag about the Prime Minister
and the federal government during his time as the Chief Minister of
Sarawak. In fact, he had put in place measures to ensure that the
federal government and agencies will come to the negotiation table with
Sarawak, with regards to their exploits in the State,” See pointed out.
See
said the pledge that the federal government would chip in for the
state’s Light Railway Transit (LRT) project if Sarawakians voted for BN
with an ‘A+’ results “is laughable and an insult to the intelligence of
Sarawakians”.
“Not only are all Malaysians suffering the wrath of
the country’s unprecedented huge debts, Sarawakians are living the
hardship of the federal government’s empty and unrealised promises.
“Sarawak
is now suffering from the tremendous damages caused by flooding because
the flood mitigation projects and plans were stalled due to the lack of
funds. Further, the promised funding for rebuilding of dilapidated
schools are not given to Sarawak but through federal ministries and
agencies. Conceivably, only a fraction of the RM1 billion will be spent
on the rebuilding of schools in Sarawak.”
With the general
election just around the corner, See said the prime minister and the
federal ministers will certainly make more and frequent visits to
Sarawak to pledge for development projects and financial allocations.
“And
there will be promises for autonomy and devolution of powers according
to MA63. I do believe that Sarawakians have wised up to those pledges
and promises which have tricked and eluded Sarawak for the last 55
years.”
In conclusion, See said Sarawakians should count the
promises delivered, with regards Sarawak’s autonomous rights under the
MA63 and devolution of power to Sarawak delivered by the federal
government, before deciding to vote in the same federal government
again.
My comments:
"Sarawak enjoys the lion's share. Sarawak enjoys the lion's share. Sarawak enjoys the lion's share. Sarawak enjoys the lion's share. Sarawak enjoys the lion's share." This has been the ploys of UMNO-BNised government to trick and fool Sarawakians and Sabahans about the allocations when ?% of allocation funds have actually reached us. Otherwise, we won't see a great number of dilapidated schools, hospitals lack of the equipment, poor road conditions, devastating floods occur again and again, .....................
I hope that Sarawakians will have this awareness.
