KUCHING, May 13: Democratic Action Party (DAP)’s victory in Sandakan with 54 per cent turnout is not an absolute “endorsement stamp” of Pakatan Harapan’s performance.
Assistant Minister of Corporate Affairs Abdullah Saidol said Sarawak DAP chief Chong Chieng Jen should take note of PH’s loss in three by-elections before this in Cameron Highlands, Semenyih and Rantau.
On Chong’s statement that Sabah benefitted from the good relationship with the federal government while Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) had been hostile and sabotaging the latter’s good initiatives, Abdullah told Chong to stop bluffing Sarawakians.
“Majority of Sarawakians, especially those in the rural areas, all know that the PH federal and state leaders are all about talking big but no delivery.
“All Sarawakians should realise that the PH federal government within few months after taking over the federal government had cancelled substantial funding for a few approved projects, such as allocation for Sarawak’s bridges and other infrastructural projects,” said Abdullah in a statement today.
He added that Putrajaya also cancelled huge allocations for many minor projects in rural Sarawak.
“The frequent reason for not being able to accommodate Sarawak is that they (PH government) don’t have the funds because the federal government has huge debt.
“But when facing a by-election in Sandakan, a PH federal minister from Sarawak suddenly announced hundreds of millions of ringgit of federal-funded projects for Sandakan,” he said.
Semop assemblyman Abdullah said Sarawakians should know that all projects cancelled by the federal government were now taken over by the GPS state government.
“Again, Chong is trying to hide the fact that Sarawak PH’s leaders are the ones that betrayed Sarawakians.
“Chong, with a legal background, knows very well that his statement is absolutely inaccurate when he said the proposed amendments to Article 1(2) of the (Federal) Constitution will restore Sabah and Sarawak rights under the Malaysia Agreement 1963,” said Abdullah.
Abdullah opined that Sarawak PH leaders were basically toothless in the federal administration.
He brought up the failure of the Ministry of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs to stop the hiking of good prices and rising cost of living as well as the refusal of the federal government to contra RM1 billion of Sarawak’s loan in return for Sarawak footing its own RM1 billion for fixing dilapidated schools to point out that Chong had the intention to smear the image of the GPS government.
“So, Chong’s allegation that Sarawak government’s demand is unreasonable and unlawful is a blatant lie and a wicked attempt to paint a bad image of Sarawak GPS government who will not stop protecting Sarawak rights and interests,” said Abdullah.
He claimed Chong and his PH comrades in Sarawak were very much under strict instruction and influence from their West Malaysia masters.
“Chong and PH Sarawak are going around the state doing coffee shop talks about them fighting for Sarawak rights and interests but more Sarawakians know that PH Sarawak is all about political rhetoric and their action are going the opposite ways,” said Abdullah. — DayakDaily
