KUCHING, July 27: State Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) chief Baru Bian says the Pakatan Harapan (PH) government is still young, and it will take time to rectify the problems faced by the people.
He said he believed this government would be able to deliver what the Barisan Nasional (BN) government could not.
Baru, who is also Works Minister, was commenting on an article in yesterday’s The Borneo Post titled ‘Sarawak offers RM1 bln loan to PH government”. In the article, Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg lamented about the dilapidated schools throughout the state, the lack of grid electricity for the schools, and the rising price of diesel, among others.
Baru said the issues raised by Abang Johari were the same ones Sarawak PKR leaders had been highlighting for many years.
“I remember proposing exactly the same thing in the DUN (Sarawak Legislative Assembly) a few years ago, i.e. to use part of the state reserves to repair these dilapidated schools, but the reply given by the minister of finance was that this matter is under the purview of the federal government,” said Baru.
He pointed out that these problems did not happen last month; they have been there for several decades now.
“If only the state government had been as vociferous in its indignation at the neglect and the stupidity of the federal government when BN was in power,” said Baru.
He said it appeared that since casting off the BN yoke, Abang Johari had found his voice.
“I am glad to note that he has realised how badly Sarawak has fared under the BN government,” he said.
On the diesel issue, Baru said it was related to cronyism, corruption and misdeeds of the past administration, and it had nothing to do with the PH government.
“As for the absence of grid power, perhaps the chief minister should ask the previous education minister and Sesco the reason for the stupid move.
“On our part, the new PH government is doing its best to tidy up the mess left by (former Prime Minister Datuk Seri) Najib (Tun) Razak’s government and to deliver what is vital to the people.”
In a way, Baru said it was good that Abang Johari should highlight the problems caused by the past administration so that the people would understand the enormity of the tasks faced by the new government. — DayakDaily
