KUCHING, March 22: Democratic Action Party (DAP) leader Dr Kelvin Yii who is a special assistant to Bandar Kuching MP Chong Chieng Jen today called out Sarawak United Peoples’ Party (SUPP) for alleging DAP is against the return of the state’s rights.
“I am appalled at (SUPP Kota Sentosa branch chairman) Wilfred Yap and SUPP’s criticism which firstly missed the whole mark on issue that was first raised by me regarding Dr Sim’s (SUPP president Dr Sim Kui Hian) statement to not to “look at the happenings in Peninsular” for this election. Instead they spin it to build a misguided perception as if we are against the returning of rights to the State.
“We are all for the returning of rights for the state, but we are against the false and empty promises that the Barisan Nasional (BN) government have dished out year after year when it was they themselves that willingly gave it (state’s rights) away in the first place,” said Dr Yii in a statement today.
Yii said SUPP’s continuous criticism towards former UMNO president and now opposition leader Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad basically amplifies the faults of SUPP and all the other BN component parties who were in government during Mahathir’s 22 years as PM but yet stayed silent and bowed to the wishes of UMNO/BN.
“Their silence and inaction has not just allowed our rights to be eroded, but also left us lacking in terms of proper development compared to our counterparts in West Malaysia.
“While we do not defend some of the things that Mahathir did, it is important for SUPP, PBB (Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu) and BN Sarawak not to mislead the public on their responsibility to uphold the interest of Sarawak and demand proper development from the Prime Minister of the time, and conveniently throw the blame on that one man for their own failures.”
Yii als highlighted that the constitutional amendments in 1976 that downgraded the status of Sarawak came about not during Dr Mahathir’s time as PM, but Tun Hussein Onn, while the Petroleum Development Act 1974 was passed during the time of Run Abdul Razak Hussein, the father of Malaysia’s current Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak and the Territorial Sea Act 2012 was passed during current Prime Minister Najib’s time.
“May I remind them, during those amendments, SUPP and BN Sarawak had strong to full representation in Parliament, and it was SUPP who seconded the passing of the Territorial Sea Act.
“Thus, while it was the duty of our Sarawak elected representative to safeguard our rights, but it was them who sold them (rights) off even though they had strong support from the people. Thus, the focus and blame should not be fully on the actions of that one man (Dr Mahathir), but rather the whole BN Sarawak that had the full responsibility of upholding our rights and interest but failed the people of Sarawak.”
Yii pointed out the culture of silence and obsequiousness had persisted, with BN Sarawak continuing to support a kleptocratic government through multiple financial scandals that has plaque Malaysia including 1MDB, Tabung Haji, MARA and other scandals that has put Malaysia to shame in eyes of the international world.
“Imagine what they will do, if we allow them to have power again?,” queried Yii.
“On top of that, SUPP and other BN component parties dare not voice out the needs and interest of the people they represent, even during the time of Tun Dr Mahathir as the Prime Minister. For example, for the past 55 years as the government, they did not manage to get UEC recognised by the federal government, but for us, just within a year working with Tun Mahathir, the whole coalition has agreed to recognise UEC once we get into power.
“That is the difference between BN and Pakatan Harapan (PH) where in PH, all parties have equal power and equal say and where the interest of all races and backgrounds are taken care of unlike in BN where they are all just subservient to the wishes of UMNO and will only take care of their own personal interest.” — DayakDaily
