KUCHING, Nov 5: Sarawakians who voted for Pakatan Harapan (PH) on May 9 must surely be disappointed by the budget 2019 which was revealed by Minister of Finance Lim Guan Eng on Friday, said Sarawak United Peoples’ Party (SUPP) Stakan Branch.
In a press statement today, SUPP Stakan said that the reason for the big vote towards PH that resulted in many Barisan Nasional (BN) candidates unexpectedly losing in the last general election showed that a good number of Sarawakians liked and supported the political platform that PH presented to them as in their manifesto and campaigns.
“It is also strange when the new PH goverment say “they can do more for less” but with a budget at RM314.5 billion with less social handout (BR1M), with no help for farmers nor fisherman etc compare with last year’s budget at RM290.4billion, petrol price not reduced,and PTPTN still having to be honoured, toll not abolished. Now they are a government that “can do less for more.”
Specific to Sarawak, SUPP Stakan said, voters were promised:-
– 20 per cent oil royalty, but instead they got 5 per cent royalty and maybe 20 per cent of profits with no certain timeline.
– equal or 33.33 per cent of development spending, but instead they got 1.4 per cent of development spending.
– more low cost housing, but instead they got reduction of 5 per cent in the worth of all existing property through the Real Property Gain Tax on all property transactions after 5 years.
– Bantuan Sara Hidup which was BR1M, reduced to RM500 from RM2,000.
– fishermen’s assistance, but instead nothing for fishermen.
– farmer’s assistance, but instead nothing for farmers.
– PTPTN loans, where it was first promised to forgive all loans, then adjusted to allow payments after getting salary of RM4,000 monthly, but instead all with at least RM1,000 salary are to pay via salary deductions. With minimum wage set at RM1,100, no one is exempted.
– RON95 at RM1.50 a litre, but instead it’s the same managed float system with a RM0.30 per litre subsidy for cars below 1500cc for 100 litres a month which works out to be RM30 or RM 360 a year, and for motorcycles below 125cc for up to 40 litres a month only which is only RM12 a month.
“These eight areas were the loudest of their battle cry and pride of the PH election campaign but sadly for Sarawakians who voted for them, none of their core Sarawak specific promises are met.”
SUPP Stakan said that they respected the decision of the people to have a change in government at the federal level.
“We have observed the new government since May 9 and since then we have only noted their failure to meet their 100-days promise and now as their intended budget for 2019 is unveiled, we see more of the same.”
SUPP Stakan lamented that the PH government is beginning its reign on a very sour note.
“The allocation of just 1.4 per cent of the budget to Sarawak notwithstanding that our oil and gas contribution to the country alone is 25x (times) more.”
SUPP Stakan further opined that PH Sarawak leaders are proven to be just minions of their Malayan political masters.
“Their tune in the mass media and social media is that of apologists. Sarawak PH leaders are actively not fighting at all for Sarawak but conversely they are the very weapons used by their masters to attack us Sarawakians for voicing concern and disapproval.
“We in SUPP Stakan urge all Sarawakian to take note of all the lies and deceit being levied at us and keep track of it all. We will need to remind ourselves later so that we can consolidate and once and for all wash Sarawak of the spread of Malayan parties. We are confident that had the PH counterparts in Sarawak been Sarawakian entities they would have had the real guts to speak up and demand what is due to Sarawak.”
SUPP Stakan further emphasised that Sarawakians have to unite now more than ever before.
“We are being attacked by Trojan horses and we need to fight back. The reason they penetrated is because of the sweet promises they left at our doorstep. Now we can see that they are broken promises.
“Our trusting nature has caused us the full penetration of the enemy, but it’s not too late. We have detected them and now we have to wake up, rise and destroy all the elements that are not absolutely loyal to Sarawak.”
SUPP Stakan said that Sarawak deserves to be run by Sarawakian political parties who answer to Sarawakians only and not by political parties who answer to their Malayan bosses. — DayakDaily
