By Lian Cheng
KUCHING, April 18: Batu Kitang assemblyman Lo Khere Chiang hopes there will be bigger Malaysian Road Records Information System (Marris) grants to improve the infrastructure in Kuching since Sarawak has been contributing RM80 billion to the Federal government annually.
The former Padawan Municipal Council (MPP) chairman said the council receives only RM22 million a year from Marris to repair roads, drains and curbs, which is grossly insufficient.
“The federal government has siphoned RM80 billion from us every year and only gives us RM22 million a year to repair roads, drains and curbs and others.
“I feel strongly about this. And we wish our MPs who were voted to Parliament would feel the same and demand from the federal government this RM80 billion that has been given to the federal government all this while,” said Lo in DayakDaily’s “Spot On” programme today.
He asserted even Prime Minister Dato Seri Anwar Ibrahim yesterday in Kuching acknowledged that Sarawak and Sabah have been shortchanged all these years.
“Our infrastructure is no way to compare with that of Semananjung Malaysia and even Anwar Ibrahim said this yesterday when he came to Sarawak,” said Lo.
As for Stampin MP Chong Chieng Jen and the needs of the constituency, Lo said he hoped all MPs in Sarawak will bring up this issue in Parliament.
some of the urgent projects under MPP which he felt required pertinent attention included the construction of flyovers at 8th Mile and 15th Mile of Kuching-Serian Road respectively.
“I hope the government of the day, considering the fact that RM80 billion is siphoned from Sarawak every year, put up the flyovers,” said Lo whose term as MPP chairman ended on March 31 this year. — DayakDaily
