Says one thing and does another, federal govt toying Sarawak?

John Ilus (file photo).

By Lian Cheng

KUCHING, Nov 8: Bukit Semuja assemblyman John Ilus has alleged that the federal government is toying with Sarawakians and the Sarawak government.

He highlighted that just in October, Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad had just launched the ‘Shared Prosperity Vision 2020’ with the aim to raise the standard of living of all people and to make Malaysia a fair, inclusive and developed nation.

While beautiful words may have been spoken and initiatives announced, John believed when it comes to practice, the facts have been far from the truth.

“Why are the projects approved before the last general election (14th General Election) for Sarawak cancelled?

“Why is the federal allocation for Sarawak in the 2020 National Budget reduced to 7.8 per cent?

“Why is the PH (Pakatan Harapan) government bulldozing the Federal Village Community Management Council (MPKKP) into the mainstream of our grassroots administration and organisation when the present JKKK (Village Security and Development Committee) is well-structured and organised and it is under the State purview?

“Why, (did) the Ministry recently issued an instruction prohibiting GPS (Gabungan Parti Sarawak) elected representatives from attending school functions?,” he posed all these questions when debating on the 2020 Sarawak Budget in the august House today.

Judging from the latest development, John said the federal government may utter something else but what it does will be the opposite.

“Given this development, it is very clear that the federal government under PH is toying with the people of Sarawak as well as the Sarawak government.

“The name of the vision is beautiful, but what is practiced, it is to divide and disrupt the harmony of the people of this country.

“It will not be a surprise that one day, the state government is asked to pay for all types of assistance, instrument, services and others which are federal government’s responsibilities as a result of its political game,” he added, citing the recent announcement of withdrawal of JKKK allowance payment by the federal government beginning next year.— DayakDaily