KUCHING, July 9: Sarawak People’s Aspiration Party (Aspirasi) holds that GPS (Gabungan Parti Sarawak), being the kingmaker or powerbroker should support whichever political bloc that agrees to let Sarawak hold a state referendum to decide if it should continue to be a State in the Federation of Malaysia, or to go for “self-determination”.
Its president Lina Soo expressed disagreement with PKR (Parti Keadilan Rakyat) Information Chief Abun Sui Anyin who called for GPS to support Pakatan Harapan (PH) in exchange for the position of Deputy Prime Minister.
“Even if the DPM post is given to Sarawak, it would just be window dressing and worse, it is a form of corruption to exchange a position in return for political support to prop up a lame duck and ailing government.
“It is no different from the situation today where the PN administration just dishes out positions in a bloated cabinet and in GLCs (government-linked companies), in exchange for political leverage to shore up their support. The buck stops here, and we must not breed this form of corruption culture,” Soo alleged in a press statement today.
She said GPS must listen to the people’s voice and aspiration, as the window of opportunity will soon pass.
To her, Sarawakians are now politically matured, and it is time for Sarawakians to go for the democratic referendum where they can choose their own political, social and economic future.
She said that the GPS government should play its kingmaker role to the hilt, yet it is only riding piggyback to stay in the Federal government with no benefit to the people of Sarawak.
With the latest twists and turns in Federal politics where UMNO had declared its withdrawal from supporting Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, Soo said it was a rare window of opportunity for GPS to optimise its position to benefit Sarawakians by deciding which bloc to support to form the federal government, yet GPS had stayed mute in pushing for Sarawak rights.
“Petronas is still dishing out concessions for Sarawak’s oil and gas like there is no tomorrow, and the GPS government is incapable to demand the compliance and restoration of Sarawak’s MA63 (the Malaysia Agreement 1963) rights.
“GPS is also ignoring the people’s voice for a referendum to be held to determine if the people are dissatisfied and unhappy with their lot in the Federation of Malaysia.
“Coming to 60 years, it is only right that the people should be consulted on whether the Federation had fulfilled the peoples’ hopes for a progressive and developed Sarawak when it federated with the Federation to Malaya to form Malaysia in 1963,” said Soo. — DayakDaily
