KUCHING: Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas yesterday stressed that social media posts discrediting the Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) government were bound with lies, slanders and instigations.
He said the allegation on the enactment of Section 6 of the State Land Code to seize NCR (native customary rights) lands was not true.
“There is another elected representative who said that NCR lands acquired for development projects will not be compensated for.
“People should ignore this news. These are all lies and instigations. They were made solely to discredit and disparage the state GPS government and its leaders,” he said in his speech at the Agriculture Department’s community outreach programme at Rh Gansu Antas longhouse in Sungai Arip yesterday.
He added that people should also verify with the Land and Survey Department.
While giving examples of the opposition’s false statement, Uggah believed this was another tactic by the opposition to target the Village Safety and Development Committee (JKKK) institution.
“A senior opposition leader, for instance, said in June last year that Sarawak will go bankrupt in three years due to its poor financial management.
“But a few days ago, even Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad praised us for our good governance and encouraged investors to invest in the state.
“Do not fall for their chicanery because they want to stop you from supporting the state government, pure and simple.
“This is dangerous as a government controlled by outsiders can cause the state to lose its rights as enshrined in the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) and its natural wealth.
“The state GPS government has in fact made this its biggest task to protect, while they (opposition) claim that the committee is not effective or efficient and that the Federal Village Community Management Council (MPKKP) is a better alternative,” he added.
Reminding the importance of strengthening unity, Uggah said Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg had set aside RM100 million this year to help JKKKs.
“The setting up of the MPKKP is nothing more than an effort by the Pakatan Harapan government to disunite rural Sarawakians.
“One of its senior ministers has been quoted as saying that it is a weapon to conquer the state.
“Our JKKK have been in existence since the time of the White Rajah. It is an instrument and an institution of unity for us…we are already united,” he stressed.
He also called upon voters in the Selangau constituency to not repeat their mistake by voting for a representative who had not been visiting them regularly after winning the seat.
Uggah was accompanied by Assistant Minister of Native Law and Customs Datuk John Sikie Tayai and a member of the Senate DrNuing Jelaing with some 600 people and 73 longhouse chiefs at the function.
