Editor’s note: Total value of projects announced for Sandakan amended to RM2.28 billion.
By Peter Sibon
KUCHING, April 29: What Sarawak wants is a complete package pursuant to Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) including the mechanisms on how the federal government should fulfill Federal Constitution Article 112D on the Reviews of Special Grants to State of Sabah and Sarawak, said Santubong MP Dato Sri Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar.
“What we want is the Amendment of the Federal Constitution Article 1(2) to be pursuant to MA63 in a complete package, which include mechanisms on how they will have to pay us per under Article 112D, on the Reviews of Special Grants to State of Sabah and Sarawak since 1969.
“The rights are there already. What we want is the mechanism on how much the money they will have to pay us. I don’t know how much it is now. Can you imagine the figure? I don’t know because it should be reviewed every five years since 1969,” Wan Junaidi told the media after attending the GPS pre-council meeting held at Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu’s headquarters here yesterday.
Additionally, Wan Junaidi also accused the Pakatan Harapan (PH) government of being emotional when it comes to Sarawak’s rights.
“Obviously this is an emotional government, unfortunately. They should not be. You are the government, you must not be too sensitive about people disagreeing with you on principle. I mean (we) people are not (your) enemy. We are not their enemy. We are their colleagues in politics. But we don’t agree on what has been done to our State, for Sarawak,” he said.
Wan Junaidi said the Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) MPs and state government has been doing the right things to defend the rights of Sarawak both in Parliament and the state.
“They thought we have done something wrong but we have doing the right thing. We have been doing the right thing for MA63, on the proposed removal of the Court Registry (to Kota Kinabalu). We are doing to do the right thing. But they interpreted it differently because they couldn’t bulldoze their intention through.
“So, they think that we don’t support them, so that’s the reason Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng announced RM2.28 billion (worth of) projects for Sandakan and nothing for us. And RM42 million allowance for rubber tappers during rainy days. There is nothing for Sarawak, just to show that they are angry with us. Why (should they be) emotional,” he said.
He said the state government has a list of things to be discussed with the Special Cabinet Committee chaired by Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, which include Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg and the State Attorney General.
“So, we know what we are fighting for based on the constitution, which will take some time,” he added. — DayakDaily
