SPAOH, Dec 30: Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas announced an allocation of RM300,000 for St. Mark’s Chapel Building Fund from Unit for Other Religions (Unifor).
The announcement was made while he was attending Christmas and New Year 2020 Dinner organised by the Bukit Saban PBB division at the Spaoh community hall here on Dec 29.
Present at the function were his wife Datin Amar Doreen Mayang, Betong MP Datuk Robert Lawson Chuat and his wife Datin Claudia Regina Janting, political secretary to the chief minister Dr. Richard Rapu, community leader Temenggong Richard Mulok and former deputy chief minister Tan Sri Alfred Jabu.
Meanwhile, Uggah who is also Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) deputy president warned that the opposition would resort to fact-twisting to topple the Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) government.
He called on the people to be aware of such tactics which had been applied on a few issues such as accusing the Sarawak government of bankruptcy with three years, asserting that Sarawak Land Code (Amendment) Bill 2018 would lead to the Dayak people losing their land and the use of the Village Community Management Council (MPKKP) to undermine Sarawak government’s influence.
Uggah first cited federal Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng’s claim as an example.
“A glaring example was when the federal Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng predicted that Sarawak would become bankrupt in three years’ time.
“According to Guan Eng, the state’s RM31 billion reserve would be used up within three years from now if it (Sarawak government) kept up with its annual budget of RM11 billion.
“Just before this year Christmas celebration, an international rating firm – the S&P Global Ratings had affirmed its ‘A-‘ rating on the state prudent budgetary performance.
“This indicates that Guan Eng’s allegation is baseless,” said Uggah.
Uggah said another issue that the opposition had been exploiting was the Sarawak Land Code (Amendment) Bill 2018 which actually accorded the force of law on Native Territorial Domain (NTD) thereby protecting Native Customary Rights (NCR) land.
“The recognition of NTD would give its Native Communal Title, free of charge and in perpetuity,” said Uggah.
On MPKKP, Uggah said it had been used to “undermine the state government’s influence among the rural folks and ultimately to topple it.”
Uggah also said just a few days prior, a leader of a state opposition party had said it was not wise for the state to finance the development of three regional development areas.
“He had seen to conveniently forget that Ulu Rajang Development Agency (URDA), the Highland Development Agency (HDA) and the Northern Region Development Agency (NRDA) are all about bringing development to these rural regions.”
Uggah said these accusations were not fair to the Sarawak government.
Uggah also advised the people to explore and grab whatever opportunities arose from the state agriculture development programmes next year as the Sarawak government had allocated a budget of RM797 million to further develop and modernise the sector.
He also advised the people to remain united, to ensure the state continued to enjoy racial and religious harmony in 2020.
“When we have this harmonious environment, Sarawak can focus on its development agenda. Let us all too continue to give our full and undivided support to the Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg’s leadership.
“He needs all our support in his endeavour to protect Sarawak right as enshrined in the MA63 (the Malaysia Agreement 1963),” said Uggah. —DayakDaily
