By Lian Cheng
KUCHING, Nov 16: Sarawak United Peoples’ Party (SUPP) president Datuk Seri Dr Sim Kui Hian says it is time for Sarawak to have its own parliament, Parliament Sarawak.
He stressed that Sarawak is not one of the 13th states in Malaysia, but of equal standing to Malaya.
“It is time for Sarawak to have Parliament Sarawak, equivalent like Australia — Parliament of Victoria, Parliament of Queensland. We are equal in Malaysia, not one of 13th states,” said Dr Sim at the Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) Convention held at Borneo Convention Centre Kuching (BCCK) here today.
Dr Sim who is also Local Government and Housing Minister said under Chief Minister Datuk Partinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg, a local defence system consisting of border scouts and coastal guards is in the making.
“We have started with Abang Jo to protect ourselves. We will get coastal guards next year. So we should have border scouts. We have to protect ourselves.
“It is time for us to do that. That is why we need Sarawakians, every Sarawakian to help us. Don’t forget, the war starts today,” said Dr Sim.
He said this is the second chance for Sarawak and Sarawakians must fight to protect their interests and help themselves, alleging the Pakatan Harapan (PH) federal government had intentionally cut off funding for Sarawak.
“When comes to Sarawak, the federal government has no money. But for the airport in Kedah, (they had) RM1.6 billion; Penang LRT (light rail transit), RM1.5 billion.
“For Sarawak, we ‘tengok saja’ (watch only). Where is their money coming from? From Sarawak,” he said, adding that Sarawakians are not so stupid as not to notice this, before stressing that Sarawak contributes RM200 million daily to national coffers but what federal government has returned back to Sarawak is only “sikit saja” (a little).
He said the upcoming Sarawak election will be an unprecedented one where Pakatan Harapan (PH) will try to split Sarawak where Federal Village Community Management Council (MPKKP) is just one of the strategies.
“More (attempts) will be coming. We must stay united. They will continue to harass us, to suppress us, to oppress us, be it through MCMC (Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission), through the handphones, through Facebook, through MACC (Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission), through Special Branch, and others. They will continue to oppress us.
“We must able to stand — Sarawakians can stand on their own feet,” said Dr Sim.
Meanwhile, Dr Sim who is also Batu Kawah assemblyman called on parents to reach out to their children who are of voting age 20 or 21.
“We don’t know if they are in time to vote or not. They make up to 40 per cent of the total voters in Sarawak.”
He strongly believed that GPS “cannot work business as usual” for the next Sarawak election which must be called by 2021.
Citing the importance of new technology such as mobile phones, he told GPS supporters to make use of them to “work smart”.
“From here (mobile phones), we must decentralise our organisation network, we must decentralise our publicity, we must decentralise our cyber (activities). This is very important.
“It is time. This election is Sarawakians for Sarawak, irrrespective where you are, whether you are in Kuala Lumpur, in Singapore, in Australia, in England, in US, if you are Sarawakians, you help Sarawak this time.
“Because if you don’t support Sarawakians for Sarawak, there will be no Sarawak for Sarawkians. If PH were to win, it will be Sarawak for Malaya. They will be no Sarawakians for Sarawak,” said Dr Sim. — DayakDaily
