KUCHING, Oct 29: The Gabungan Parti Sarawak-led Sarawak government serves the interests of Sarawakians despite the change in the federal government.
Progressive Democratic Party (PDP) president Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing opined that even as an opposition state, Sarawak is ultimately better served by Sarawakians than if it were to be led by Pakatan Harapan (PH).
“GPS’ track record speaks for itself over the decades of development. Even if we have to do it alone, the people would support us and we will do everything we can to ensure stability and prosperity.
“But PH, with all its federal government resources, makes use of public support just to gain even more political power.
“Now, they still play politics with Sarawak’s rightful allocations. On the eve of the state election, they will continue to deceive the people to gain political mileage and destroy the indigenous political alliances formed by Sarawakians for Sarawakians.
Tiong reminded the PH-led federal government that it should not resort to zero-sum games in national development.
He noted that the federal government is supposed to fairly and justly roll out programmes and policies that benefit Malaysians as a whole, no matter their political leanings.
Tiong who is Bintulu Member of Parliament questioned why the PH federal government approved the setting up of more than 6,000 Village Community Management Council (MPKKP), even though the move is heavily opposed by ‘tuai rumah’ and other rural communities in Sarawak.
“PH’s plans like this are a huge waste of public funds, which are used to canvass for votes when it (should be) better used to pay off the national debt. But of course, PH will resort to short-term measures for political mileage for more power, at the expense of proper and long-term development for the people and economy.
“They trumpet the threat of national bankruptcy constantly but the PH federal government uses this as a tactic to channel public funds for their political agenda. They have confused themselves thinking that public funds are their bank accounts to play their political games,” claimed Tiong.
Tiong also reminded PH politicians that if the public can see through their attempts to expand their political agenda through so-called local village councils controlled by the federal government, their members should wise up and stop their leaders from eroding their credibility any further.
He lamented that even after much backlash against the MPKKP, the Ministry of Finance still made it a misguided priority to find funds for it at huge expense.
He emphasised that ultimately, this is public funds being used in a ‘meaningless way’ when it could have been channelled to the existing village committees’ development plans.
“Yet, Sarawak’s numerous developments plans are compromised and shelved while the federal government repeatedly returned to the poor excuse of having ‘no money’ for such projects.
“To drive a wedge into our rural village committees, the federal government had instead chosen to put funds into an unnecessary and politically motivated project for their selfish gains.”
Tiong believed that the backlash against the MPKK is due to PH’s ‘obvious plan’ to intervene in the election mechanisms of local and rural leaders in Sarawak and to ensure that leaders favoured by Putrajaya are put on top, thus paving the way for Sarawak to be ruled by PH according to Putrajaya’s terms.
Tiong opined that the PH federal government will not stop until the rights and dignity of Sarawak’s ethnic peoples are compromised and replaced by the federal government’s priorities by putting in leaders obedient to them.
He also added that PH’s policies and actions will divide and destroy the harmony of the local communities and further retard development and modernisation. — DayakDaily
