By Peter Sibon
KUCHING, Sept 20: The only way Sarawak can achieve developed status is through cessation from the federation of Malaysia, opined Parti Bumi Kenyalang (PBK) deputy president Peli Aron.
He reiterated that Sarawak, which exercised its right to join the federation, also has the right to leave like Singapore.
“With Singapore leaving the federation in 1965, two years after the formation of Malaysia on Sept 16, 1963, the Federation of Malaysia is null and void,” he told a press conference, here, today.
Peli said vast resources of oil and gas have been extracted from Sarawak under the Petroleum Development Act (PDA) 1974, which he claimed only benefit states in Malaya.
Agreeing with Peli, PBK vice-president Peter Asut said Sarawak did not get its fair share of development funds from the federal government since the inception of the federation of Malaysia in 1963.
“What is ironic is that the Dayaks are again further deprived of development in their respective areas in the rural areas. After 56 years of the so-called ‘independence’, the Dayaks are still being marginalised by the government of the day,” he opined.
Asut said roads and amenities in the rural areas in Dayak areas are still lagging behind.
“To name a few rural areas with poor roads only passable by using four-wheel drive vehicles, such as the Lawas-Long Semadoh/Ba Kelalan Road, Long Napir-Ulu Limbang, Bario, Mulu and Ulu Baram Road, Belaga Road, Song and Kapit,” he said.
Asut added that if there is no road, it would be difficult to improve the economic status of the people in the rural areas.
“How do we expect to improve their economic status if the roads are in poor condition to transport their products to town? The infrastructure development must be fair and balance in order to raise the economic status of the people in the rural areas.
“Therefore, it is appropriate for the Dayaks now to support PBK in quest of independence,” he said. — DayakDaily
