KUCHING, Sept 3: The Pakatan Harapan (PH) federal government is no different from the Barisan Nasional (BN)-led one as both failed to restore Sarawak rights as enshrined in the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63).
In stating this, Parti Bansa Dayak Sarawak Baru (PBDSB) Youth chief Rapelson Richard Hamit opined that Putrajaya under both coalitions had “no desire” to return those rights to Sarawak.
In the case of the PH government, it had even failed to fulfil its election manifesto in the first 100 days, including restoring the rights of Sarawak and Sabah and also the 20 per cent oil royalty.
“They have betrayed Sarawakians,” said Rapelson, in a statement in response to Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) vice-president Rafizi Ramli’s call yesterday to Sarawakians to bring PH to power in the next state election, which is due in 2021.
Rafizi said in Kuching that if PKR were to be in both federal and state governments, then it would be easier for Sarawak to reclaim its rights, especially when PKR president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim becomes the next prime minister.
“Sarawakians and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) must be united under one opposition alliance to regain more autonomy from the federal government to benefit Sarawakians.
“With the emergence of Sarawak Baru, there is now another platform for Sarawakians to use to negotiate for the restoration of its status and rights from Putrajaya,” opined Rapelson.
Insisting that Putrajaya give back all of Sarawak’s rights now, he said, “Do not wait until 2021 and then (let politicians) leveraging it as bait again, whereby such promises will not be fulfilled.” — DayakDaily
