KUCHING, Nov 4: Sarawak For Sarawakians (S4S) spokesperson Eric Chin has called on Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg to reveal the name of the deputy minister who asked Sarawak to surrender its immigration rights.
He said no one has the right to abolish the immigration rights without the consent of the Sarawak people.
“I want our beloved CM (Chief Minister) to announce the person’s name to the public. We will look for him,” said Chin at the S4S gathering held at Padang Merdeka this afternoon.
He said the reason for the assertion of S4S for the enactment of a reference ordinance was to protect Sarawak and its rights.
“No one has the right to abolish the (immigration) rights without the consent of the Sarawak people.
“That is the reason why we want a referendum ordinance to be in place,” said Chin who was referring to Abang Johari’s revelation yesterday that a deputy minister had told him to give up Sarawak’s immigration autonomy.
Chin also asserted that the RM4 billion for Sarawak in Budget 2019 was not enough as it constituted only four per cent of the total budget.
He said for all these years Sarawak has been contributing to the national coffers and it is unfair that Sarawak has been allocated such a small amount.
Chin said if Sarawakians have been treated fairly, the people would not ask to exit Malaysia.
He called on the federal government to allocate RM40 billion, instead of RM4 billion.
Meanwhile, another spokesperson Hanim Jaraee said RM4 billion allocated to Sarawak in Budget 2019 was not even enough to buy the “black school shoes”.
“For interior folks, to come to town, it takes RM200 for renting a Hilux (four-wheeled drive). For them to return, another RM200.
“For some RM350 coming to town; another RM350 going back, in total of RM700 just to buy the black school shoes. RM4 billion is not even enough for the people to buy the black shoes,” she said.
More than 100 turned up at the S4S gathering which started at 4pm and ended at 6pm at Padang Merdeka.
Apart from speeches, there were the shouting of slogans such as “Sarexit”, “Sarawak for Sarawakians”, “Enough is enough” and “dum spiro spero” (while I breathe, I hope) and “agik dup agi ngelaban” (as long as I live, I fight). — DayakDaily
