KUCHING, Jan 20: GPS must strengthen its communication and publicity machinery to ensure that its various policies will reach the target group, opines Santubong MP Datuk Seri Dr Wan Junaid Tuanku Jaafar.
“What all levels of GPS (Gabungan Parti Sarawak) leadership need to do now is good publicity and explanation on issues. Not just the CM or senior ministers, but every individual leader at every strata of the political component parties.
“This includes the community leaders at every level. They cannot distance themselves from informing the people under their charge, about what the state government is doing. Tell the grassroots and explain to them,” according to Wan Junaidi in a statement today.
He added that Sarawak could learn many lessons from the just concluded Kimanis by-election.
“I believe GPS is in a very much better position than Parti Warisan Sabah (Warisan) as a whole as CM Abang Jo (Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg) has a visionary programme for Sarawak and the execution of his programmes are ongoing.
“Some of his programmes like infrastructure development, modern agriculture, water grid, rural development, digital economy, B40 and BM40 wealth-sharing are already being progressively implemented. The native customary rights (NCR) land issues and kampung extensions are some of the grassroot interests which are affecting them directly.”
To ensure GPS’ success in administering Sarawak, Wan Junaidi also urged politicians, community leaders and government officers to think in sync, act in tandem and talk about the various programmes and projects accordingly.
“We are fighting for Sarawak’s political and administrative independence, and to protect Sarawak and Sarawakians is everybody’s patriotic duty,” he stressed.
Comparatively, Wan Junaidi who was a former Minister of Natural Resources and Environment, pointed out that even though the situation in Sabah and in the peninsula was different from Sarawak, there was a certain amount of consistency or common factors, such as lost of trust in the federal government under Pakatan Harapan (PH).
“There is just too many unfulfilled promises and too much politicking at the expense of the rakyat. And personally, I feel that the PH federal government has failed in most aspects; such as in the economy, development, welfare of the people, the prices of essential items, employment, the prices of rubber, palm oil, addressing the B40 and rural poverty, the immigration issue in Sabah, and manifestos and individual promises by leaders of PH and Warisan for the moon and the sun which are not likely to be delivered,” he opined.
According to Wan Junaidi, the issue of 1MDB did not affect Sabahans very much, although the internal issues were more complex.
“In the peninsula, 1MDB is the issue. (In Sabah) Warisan is a local-party, but leaders could not claim to be for Sabahans because of the participation in the PH federal government in Putrajaya and being fully represented by full ministers and deputy ministers at the federal level.
“They could not claim “autonomy” from the federal government decision. In other words, the failures of the PH federal government affects Warisan in a similar way.
“Warisan promised their people autonomy, employment, development and settling the immigration issue. Among the Warisan State Cabinet are the champions of the immigration issue. But now (they are as) quiet as a mouse. So Warisan is no longer seen to be fighting for Sabah. This, I believe, to the Sabahans is a big let-down,” he added.
On the other hand, Wan Junaidi believed BN has learnt its lesson from its defeat in the 14th general election, for not managing their cyber campaign well.
“Well organised, focused on issues and rebuttal in their speeches and in cyber space. The managing of cyber communication, news and messages is very important in the modern political environment.
“The core supporters of BN and former Kimanis MP Datuk Seri Anifah Aman were seen working in tandem for the victory of BN. The choice of BN candidate was good, but the Warisan candidate had the image of failed promises and it was propagated he was a self-serving person. All these put together made the BN camp unassailable,” added Wan Junaidi.
In the just concluded Kimanis by-election, BN candidate Datuk Mohamad Alamin won with a majority of 2,029 votes to beat his opponent from Warisan Datuk Karim Bujang. Mohamad polled 12,706 votes against the latter’s 10,677. — DayakDaily
