KUCHING, Nov 5: Sarawak Pakatan Harapan (PH) chairman Chong Chieng Jen is wrong to link Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg’s ‘alternative financing’ tabled in Budget 2020 yesterday with 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB), says Assistant Minister for Corporate Affairs Abdullah Saidol.
Yesterday, Chong had alleged that the ‘alternative financing’ could lead to another 1MBD scandal, and that the Sarawak Budget 2020 was based on a projected increase of revenue and state sales tax for petroleum products.
He argued that the state will go into guaranteeing repayment of loans, financing which was raised under ‘alternative financing’ model, and that the said budget is presumptuous by the mere fact that until now Petronas has not paid the sales tax on petroleum products.
Abdullah questioned Chong as to what the state Budget 2020 has to do with 1MDB and the fact that 1MDB is currently on trial.
He also questioned Chong’s motives for linking the state 2020 budget with 1MDB.
“Obviously, Chong has run out of ideas to attack the state government’s Budget 2020 because there are flaws and many aspects lacking in the federal 2020 Budget,” Abdullah told the press in the Sarawak State Legislative Assembly (DUN) complex media room today.
He added that Chong claimed that PH had fulfilled its promise to bring more development funds to Sarawak.
“Chong is trying very hard to bluff Sarawakians. Lim (Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng) announced RM56 billion for development and Sarawak is only getting RM4.5 billion which is only 8.04 per cent of the total. Why didn’t Chong questioned his master (Lim) about that?
“What about the federal government asking Patronas to pay a ‘special’ dividend of RM30 billion? Is it because of their big mistake of abolishing the GST? That has caused a big hole in federal coffers and ironically, a substantial amount of oil and gas came from Sarawak,” Abdullah asserted.
He added that while Petronas gave the federal government RM30 billion, Sarawak only got RM4.5 billion.
Cautioning Sarawakians to be careful with PH and Chong, Abdullah also highljghted the pledges made by PH Sarawak before the May 9 general election last year, which have yet to be fulfilled. — DayakDaily
