Sarawakians are encouraged to have more babies whether at home or abroad. Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg said the state needed more Sarawakian children so that the state would have stronger and clever Anak Sarawak (sons of Sarawak) to defend the homeland.
“It is our strategic national interest that we encourage the growth of population of Sarawakians in Sarawak.
“I have also announced the RM1,000 endowment fund for every Sarawakian born, regardless of ethnicity, religion and social status, as of the first day of next year to be invested in a fund and the amount can only be taken on their 18th birthday for their education and ultimately, we hope will encourage the increase of birth rates in Sarawak,” he said.
Meanwhile, Johari said that it might have been urgent and important that the state encouraged the formation of new opposition parties that were truly Sarawak-based and not affiliated in any way to non-Sarawakian or foreign political parties to participate in Sarawak politics.
“GPS is truly Sarawak-based party and helmed for only Sarawakians.We need to garner more educated and clever young men and women to be involved in politics so that our political future may be strengthened against incursions by foreign interests.
“Today, we have no Sarawak-based opposition parties. Pakatan Harapan Sarawak is only the Sarawak chapter of the national Pakatan Harapan which is based in Peninsula Malaysia and with leaders from Persekutuan Tanah Melayu,” he said.
He added that PH Sarawak had very little say over national policies on behalf of Sarawak.
“We have learnt from our history of the dangers of Sarawak parties being too closely aligned with Peninsula party such as to be subservient to the national politics.
“This is one loophole in such national party concept. Sarawak do not want Sarawak chapters of national parties to take up positions of political power in Sarawak,” stressed Johari.
He also said that neither do they want non-Sarawakians to influence Sarawak behind the scenes.
“In this context of PBB, we have been objecting to Umno spreading its wings to Sarawak and this will remain in our policy.
“I am therefore not wrong when I bar these non-Sarawakians from entering Sarawak when I know that they could be here to stir up sentiments and emotions that will destroy the harmony and split the unity of the Sarawak people,” he said.
He added that the risk of disruptive elements to the state’s peace and harmony was one good reason why he would not relinquish the rights of Sarawak to control the immigration policy.
“As I have said, we shall debate on ideas and policies, but we shall not question the rights of each of our communities, their unique identity, culture and way of life because they define their own intrinsic values which are rich and precise to the Sarawakian identity,” he said.
