KUCHING, Dec 19: Opposition or pro-government, the citizens who are taxpayers deserve better and equal treatment than the check on the box for they help build this State.
Parti Bumi Kenyalang (PBK) Southern Zone political affairs director Raymond Thong pointed out that people, especially in urban areas of Sarawak held by opposition, should not be deprived or denied of development which they were entitled to because they pay taxes.
As such, he expressed disappointment with the remarks of Kuching South City Council (MBKS) Mayor Datuk Wee Hong Seng saying that Padungan, Pending, Batu Lintang and parts of Kota Sentosa have lost a combined of RM100 million of funds over five years as only seats won by Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) were given RM5 million Rural Transformation Programme (RTP) allocation each year.
“Indirectly, he (Wee) is saying to the people in all opposition-held seats in urban Sarawak, if we vote for the opposition, we will be denied the RTP funds.
“It is unfortunate that he made such a statement. He or the GPS government should do some soul searching to find out what went wrong that the urban people are not voting them.
“Are they meeting the urbanites’ expectations? Are they implementing the right policies? Going around to clear some clogged drains, damaged walkways are not going to win the hearts and minds of urban people. They expect more than that,” he criticised in a statement today.
Thong reminded that the bulk of taxes collected by the government came from urban people including in urban seats under the opposition and contribute to the salary of government servants including employees in MBKS and other local authorities.
“They pay their income tax, corporate tax, property assessment rates and other government charges.
“The government should not find fault with the people or arm-twist the people to get their support of vote. Give people the due respects as their votes are sacred. It is people’s rights to choose who they vote.
The government should not impose their views upon them,” he emphasised.
If not allocating funds to the opposition seats, Thong said the government should spend even more to develop urban centres, even the opposition areas, to create a more conducive environment with good amenities and facilities.
“Instead of allowing the infrastructure to deteriorate and punish the people for not voting for the government,” he added.
He also said that Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg should prove to all races in Sarawak that he is true to his words and walk his talk in saying that “No one race can dominate but whoever is the Chief Minister, he must be fair to all races in Sarawak.”
“Is his statement not applicable to all the races who voted for the opposition? Are they not Sarawakians who pay taxes?
“It will be foolish if we keep on doing the same thing and expect a different result,” he said. — DayakDaily
