KUCHING, Dec 26: The promise by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak to return the rights of Sarawakians is an insincere statement only meant to buy votes, charged an Opposition leader.
“Sabah and Sarawak has been BN’s (Barisan Nasional’s) fixed deposit for years. Sarawak BN in the last general election had delivered to him (Najib) over 90 per cent of the Parliament seats.
“And the fact is our rights have been eroded over the years,” said PKR national women vice-president Voon Shiak Ni.
Najib had reportedly said that Sarawakians had to vote for BN and deliver seats to BN in the upcoming general elections for him to manage the returning of rights to Sarawakians .
Offended by the “threatening” statement by the country’s sixth premier who took office in 2009, Voon said Najib was insulting Sarawkians and taking them as fools.
She questioned the sincerity of the federal government, especially after the recent warning by Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi that stern action would be taken against those advocating “Sarawak for Sarawakians”.
“We have waited long enough. Instead of concrete commitments to return our rights, he is doing his usual lip service only to buy votes,” said Voon, adding that the statement was a pure insult to the intelligence of Sarawakians.
Voon said that another vote for BN won’t make much difference; instead, Sarawakians should be bold enough to make their voices heard via the ballot box this coming PRU14.
The state’s late chief minister Pehin Sri Adenan Satem had started the talks on the devolution of powers and to claim back Sarawakians’ rights three years ago.
Adenan even openly expressed that he was not happy with the pace the federal government was responding to the issue on reclaiming the state’s rights.
“Until now nothing much has been done. It is simply unfair and unjust to set conditions for Sarawakians when we are reclaiming what belongs to us,” Voon concluded.— DayakDaily
