By DayakDaily Team
KUCHING, Jan 14: There should only be one Prime Minister in Malaysia, a position currently held by Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, who leads the unity government in which the Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) is part of.
Chief political secretary to the Premier, Fazzrudin Abdul Rahman, asserted this in response to a proposal by Sarawak People’s Aspiration Party (Aspirasi) president Lina Soo to rename the Premier of Sarawak as the Prime Minister of Sarawak.
“This should be the case and I am confident that under the leadership of the Prime Minister and the Premier of Sarawak, Malaysia will continue to prosper, in terms of economy, infrastructure development and energy transition with Sarawak’s support,” he said in a statement today.
Fazzrudin, who is also the Tupong assemblyman, stressed the importance of supporting the Sarawak government, led by Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg and GPS, in its efforts to restore and uphold Sarawak’s rights and status within the federation.
“I believe that the restoration of Sarawak’s rights and the pursuit of State empowerment must adhere to the legal frameworks of the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63), the 1962 Inter-Government Committee (IGC) Report, and the Federal Constitution.
“This ensures that the spirit of Malaysia’s federation, as envisioned by our forefathers, is preserved and that national stability is maintained,” he added.
Soo’s proposal, reported by a local daily on Jan 13, suggested that renaming the Premier of Sarawak to Prime Minister of Sarawak aligns with Sarawak’s status as an equal partner in the Federation of Malaysia.
She cited the historical precedent of Lee Kuan Yew, who held the title of Prime Minister when Singapore was part of Malaysia.
Soo argued that such a change is appropriate and legitimate if Sarawak remains consistent in asserting its equal partner status within the federation.
She highlighted that the current Sarawak Premier also holds three critical portfolios: Minister for Finance and New Economy, Minister for Urban Development and Natural Resources, and Minister for Resource Planning and Environment.
Additionally, Soo proposed the creation of a new Cabinet position—a Minister for Oil—dedicated to reclaiming Sarawak’s ownership of its oil resources and restoring the region’s economic rights. — DayakDaily
