KUCHING, Dec 18: Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) agreeing to the formation of the presidential council together with other Perikatan Nasional (PN) components showed that the state coalition was insensitive in protecting Sarawak and minority rights.
Parti Bumi Kenyalang (PBK) president Voon Lee Shan opined that the presidential council was seen as a platform to further enhance Malay supremacy over the minorities in Sabah and Sarawak.
“To prevent domination of Malayan politics on the people of Sarawak, the best solution is for the GPS government to take steps to disassociate itself from PN and PH groups and to look for ways to exit from the federation of Malaysia,” he suggested in a statement today.
He was commenting on the news report that parties in the federal government, comprising components of Perikatan Nasional (PN), Barisan Nasional (BN) and GPS had yesterday (Dec 17) unanimously agreed to establish a presidential council to discuss government policies and strengthen cooperation.
Agreeing to be in the company of PAS to form a presidential council, Voon alleged will open the door to further export extreme political and religious ideologies into Sarawak.
He thus reminded the GPS government that Sarawakians had in the past decades defended against the intrusion of PAS’ ideologies into Sarawak.
“PAS is passionate to impose hudud laws which is not acceptable in multicultural Sarawak with majority are Christians and we also have the Buddhist community,” he said.
He also expressed concern that Umno being the “big brother” in Malaysian politics would dictate and dominate the economic development in Sarawak especially the natural resources on this land.
He claimed that Umno may demand from the GPS government to alienate state and Native Customary Right (NCR) land for their use, noting that Sarawak had in the past years lost much land to the federal government.
“GPS government should also be aware of the damages created by many politicians from parties in the presidential council which are currently under investigation or been discharged by court of criminal charges,” he said, referring to cases like the 1MDB scandal.
If PBK was given a chance to take over the Sarawak government, Voon emphasised that they will ensure the ties with Peninsular be severed to set Sarawak free and independent if demands were not met.
“After all, the legality of the formation of Malaysia under Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) is doubtful. Further, there is nothing to prohibit Sarawak to leave Malaysia,” he argued.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, who is also PN chairman and Bersatu president, chaired the meeting with leaders of other component parties.
PN secretary-general Hamzah Zainudin in a statement revealed that a secretariat represented by the secretary-general from each party will be set up to coordinate the presidential council.
At the meeting, the parties in the PN government also discussed forging strong political cooperation to create political stability for the well-being of the people and the prosperity of the country.
Party leaders who attended the meeting included Umno president Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, Pas president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang, MCA president Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong, Sarawak United Peoples’ Party (SUPP) president Datuk Seri Dr Sim Kui Hian and Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) president Datuk Seri Dr Maximus Johnity Ongkili.
Among those who represented their party leaders were Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) deputy president Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan, Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) deputy president Datuk Joseph Salang Gandum, Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sabah (PBRS) deputy president Arthur Joseph Kurup, Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) deputy president Edward Dagul, Progressive Democratic Party (PDP) senior vice-president Datuk Paul Igai, MIC secretary-general Datuk Asojan Muniyandy and Parti Solidariti Tanah Airku (STAR) secretary-general Senator Datuk Guan Dee Koh Hoi. — DayakDaily
