KUCHING, March 8: Parti Aspirasi Rakyat Sarawak (Aspirasi) has demanded an answer from Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) on its deal to work with Perikatan Nasional (PN) under the PN+GPS formula.
Its president Lina Soo questioned the support that GPS gave to PN in forming the federal government, adding that Sarawakians wants transparency in their deal and not to be shortchanged.
“Sarawakians today have a chance to make things right for ourselves, our children and our future generations. Will GPS support of PN come with a few surprises and some goodies for Sarawak?
“But the big question is, will it be enough? What are the terms of negotiation, if any? Is the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) and Sarawak’s position on our ownership and economic rights over our oil and gas part of the deal?” she asked.
Soo, in a statement, said Aspirasi is proposing for a government white paper to be set up that includes the roadmap which lists all the legitimate demands of Sarawakians with respect to MA63, oil and gas and territorial boundaries.
She added that the paper must cover all legislation, which have compromised the sovereignty of Sarawak, as well as necessary actions to repeal all such legislation.
Soo said most importantly, GPS must include the undertaking to have a statewide consultation process through a referendum to ascertain the wishes of the people, whether it is tenable to stay in the federation after 57 years of domination, subjugation and exploitation.
She believed that the approach can be legitimately conducted by the Sarawak government under State List II item 10 of the Intergovernmental Report 1962.
“Our current position must be transformed into a platform for change. Both Barisan National and Pakatan Harapan regimes had shortchanged the people of Sarawak, and the buck must stop here.
“Now what remains to be answered, can GPS deliver? We have been let down by our politicians and the British in the past, and Sarawak is now on the threshold of being able to rectify many of the past mistakes,” she opined. — DayakDaily
