KUCHING: Sarawakians have been warned against Parti Keadilan Rakyat chairman Baru Bian’s “true intentions” in politicising the issue of Pemakai Menoa and Pulau Galau(PMPG).
Political observer Abang Abdul Aziz Abang Rauf said Baru was dissatisfied with the amendments made on the Sarawak Land Code involving Pemakai Menoa and Pulau Galau (PMPG) last June merely because he wanted to play with the sentiments of landowners.
It was for this reason that Baru, the Works Minister, had described the amendments as “half cooked” and not comprehensive.
“It (amendment) only involves 1,000 hectares of land whereas we want more than that. I have even won in court with more than 5,000 hectares of land belonging to the natives,” Baru had said in a television interview recently.
He said he was determined to change the existing policy, and to implement it, the current state government should be changed.
Abang Abdul Aziz said: “This statement, however, describes Baru Bian’s true intentions. He wants this issue to be politicised and raise racial sentiments among the people of Sarawak.”
According to Abang Abdul Aziz, the Sarawak Land Code has gone through a lengthy discussion process, and all the representatives of the ‘native people’ in the state have sat together to discuss it.
“If we go back to the old and ancient methods, it is something that is not appropriate,” he said, adding that the resolution that was reached in June was modern, transparent and consisted of a systematic land administration.
Abang Abdul Aziz said Baru’s action of raising the issue was politically motivated due to his failure in defending the projects that had been approved in Sarawak by Putrajaya.
“These projects should be able to change the people’s living standards regardless of race and religion, but are denied them on financial grounds.
“In fact, it is because the projects were approved by the Barisan Nasional government to Barisan Nasional MPs then and who are now GPS (Gabungan Parti Sarawak) MPs.
“Their statements are flip flop and inconsistent, as well as full of U-turns.
According to him, there is no need to make the issue of PMPG more complex because when the situation becomes more complex due to a change in government, people will not be harmonious and racial tension will occur.
“There’s no need to touch on these issues and let’s play politics in a gentleman’s manner.
“I believe that PH government at the federal level will not do anything about PMPG if they win in Sarawak simply because this issue is only good for debate and a source of argument, but is very difficult to implement,” Abang Abdul Aziz said.
