KUCHING, April 6: Parti Bumi Kenyalang (PBK) today questioned certain Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) and Perikatan Nasional (PN) politicians’ motives and sincerity in distributing food aid to the poor during the Movement Control Order (MCO) period.
PBK president Voon Lee Shan alleged that members of the public also complained that food and other donated items distributed to the poor had photographs of GPS or PN politicians.
“The rakyat are suffering. Why should monies be spent on these photographs instead of face masks, medicine and protective clothing for the medical staff and other frontliners in fighting Covid-19? If the donated items came from the state or federal governments, then GPS and PN have no right to use their own logos, symbols and faces of their politicians on them.
“This is tantamount to a criminal offence of conversion of government property or deception on the people. Those who are responsible for these including the politicians should be prosecuted for criminal offences,” Voon asserted in a statement.
He suggested that if the donated items came from the Sarawak government, then it is sensible for the Sarawak flag and crest be displayed instead.
Meanwhile, Voon also opined that Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg and cabinet ministers should stop holding press conferences, deeming it cheap politicking at the expense of their own lives, lives of the reporters and others around.
“We do not wish them, be they reporters or ministers, to be knocked out by this Covid-19 because Sarawak needs them in (this) time of crisis to function and to save lives.
“The calling of press conferences with reporters and people around is against the MCO imposed by the government itself by themselves not staying at home. They should not go to government premises to conduct press conferences as these places should be closed.
“To call for press conferences shows that the Sarawak government does not know how to use state-of-the-art technology in running an administration, when conferences could be done by video conferencing. If they have to work, it can be done from home,” Voon stressed.
He also alleged that many ministers and elected representatives were seen going around with many people to distribute food and shake hands with the rakyat in their respective constituencies.
Such close contact should not be allowed at all, Voon added, as these people are risking their lives and the lives of others.
“We already have enough deaths. As of today, the spread of Covid-19 in Sarawak (has) kept on increasing,” he said. — DayakDaily
