BY NUR ASHIKIN LOUIS & NIA NATASHA HASENAN
KUCHING: Sarawak People’s Aspiration Party (Aspirasi) has top-listed Sarawak Independence Referendum (SIR) in its manifesto for the coming state election.
Its president Lina Soo said the party would go back to the people to decide Sarawak’s political future once and for all through a democratic, universally recognised, and peaceful process in a one-man-one-vote system.
“Sarawak has been one of the three Nations in the Federation of Malaysia for 57 years. It is time to go back to the people and to let them decide whether we wish to stay in the federation or we should consider another option which is to be free and to rule ourselves.
“We have the right of self-determination which is our inalienable right to choose our political, social, and economic future as enshrined in United Nations Charter,” she said when unveiling Aspirasi’s manifesto today.
Soo also said Aspirasi wished to give universal basic income (UBI) of RM500 per month for every adult Sarawakian – above 18 years old.
“This is doable if Sarawak imposes 30 percent state sales tax (SST) on our oil and gas (O&G) instead of being content with only 5 percent rate at present.
“If we impose 30 percent SST on our petroleum products, we can expect to receive RM20 billion a year and we can fund the UBI which will benefit every adult Sarawakian.
“Surplus funds shall be channeled into a sovereign wealth fund for future generations who would no longer have oil as a resource,” she added.
Soo also said that to solve hundreds of native customary rights (NCR) land cases in court, Aspirasi opted to return all NCR land to native landowners with freehold title in perpetuity.
“Additionally, all existing town lands with 60 and 99 years leaseholds shall be converted to 999 land titles.
She added that Aspirasi aimed to reject all legislations that contravene the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) specifically the Petroleum Development Act (PDA) 1974 and Territorial Sea Act (TSA) 2012.
“Aspirasi wants an impartial commission to be set up to tackle corruption from the lowest to the highest level. All stolen properties bought by politicians through illicit means must be returned to Sarawak.
“Political corruption of ‘frogging’ must be punishable by law where elected officials exchange their political affiliations for personal benefit to bring down a government,” said Soo.
She added that Sarawak should continue to live the culture of unity and harmony among all societies, regardless of their ethnicity and religions.
