KUCHING: A press statement from Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) Betong division chief Vernon Albert Kedit has been described as “a desperate argument”.
Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) senior vice president Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof stressed that the statement was following the failure of Pakatan Harapan (PH) Sarawak, especially DAP and PKR in fulfilling their promises to the people in the state. “Many promises were by DAP and PKR before the 14th General Election (GE14) especially in the PH Sarawak manifesto such as giving 20% oil royalty (from production) and return 50% of Sarawak’s tax revenue to Sarawak if PH captures Putrajaya.
“ But, after it took over Putrajaya, none of the promises were fulfilled by PH Sarawak,” he said in a press statement here yesterday.
According to Fadillah, even in the event of failure to fulfil all the promises made, PH Sarawak has been vocal and b rav e t o m a k e n e w p ro m i s – e s a f t e r t h e G E 1 4 i n c l u d i n g the 30% promise of development allocations for Sabah and Sarawak in Budget 2019 made by PH Sarawak chairman Chong Chieng Jen. But Fadillah said Sarawak receives only a budget allocation of RM4.3 billion far less than what Chong promised.
“Vernon’s statement seems to deny that there has been development for 55 years. “The development remain in force and is enjoyed by the people including the Penan community living in the remote areas,” he said. Fadillah who is also Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) chief whip and Petra Jaya MP added that Sarawak still needs more development due to its size which is almost the whole of the peninsula.
That is why Sarawak is striving for the right of the state as stated in MA63 to be returned and bigger oil royalty given to develop Sarawak.
“To answer Vernon’s quest i o n s … Ye s , G P S c a n w i n Sarawakians’ hearts because in the State 2019 Budget, Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg has allocated the largest budget in histor y amounting to RM11.914b after the federal government only allocated RM4.3b including RM2b for the Pan Borneo Highway Project.
“The state budget is to extend coastal roads, water and electricity and GPS will continue all the projects that the federal government cancelled after GE14,” Fadillah said. In the meantime, he said Vernon was supposed to ask himself and what PH Sarawak had done in the state after it successfully took over Putrajaya. Even PH minister and deputy minister were ‘hand-bound’ and became ‘yes men’ until what they had long been fighting for remain just rhetoric.
“Many projects approved f o r Sa raw a k s u c h a s Bat a n g Lupar Bridge, Igan Bridge and Rambungan Bridge were not continued by the federal government while projects in areas all over the state were also cancelled. As for the Sri Aman Hospital project raised by Vernon, Fadillah s a i d b e f o r e i t w a s a l r e a d y acknowledged that the delay revealed the problems faced included supply problems, pile testing and the grading process used.
“But at the same time, other projects were completed, unfortunately Vernon does not see like the Sarawak Pan Borneo Highway P ro j e c t w h i c h wa s a h e a d o f schedule before the GE14 when I was still Works Minister.
“Vernon’s statement on what’s the point of claiming oil and gas royalties if people don’t get the benefits reveals his own ignorance,” he said. “It is even funny when Vernon said that DAP and PKR are not Malayan parties as all their leaders in Sarawak hold Sarawak identity cards. “The undeniable fact is that both parties are based in the peninsula and this proves they are subject to all the decisions made by their masters in Malaya, until they cannot fulfil all the promises made,” he explained. Thus, Fadillah said Vernon might have forgotten that PH S a r a w a k o n c e c l a i m e d t h a t S a r a w a k u n d e r t h e B a r i s a n Nasional (BN) was subject to central BN’s will.
“Now PKR and DAP are hit by their own nose, while the Sarawak government has chos e n t o g o o u t d i r e c t l y f r o m Malaya’s point of view with the establishment of GPS so that the people of Sarawak alone have the full power to embrace Sarawak’s development direction,” he said. It should be remembered, Fadillah said, PBB has been daring to deny Umno from entering Sarawak despite the fact that it is a component party of the BN.
Vernon also said that the DAP won the urban community’s struggle and PKR fought rural communities through NCR in Sarawak. “We want to ask what development in the urban and rural areas of DAP and PKR has been brought in Sarawak. And in the National Budget 2019 how much has the federal government approved to survey NCR land or for parameter survey in Sarawak? The answer is zero, not even a sen.
“GPS is strong in its guarantee to move on a new political platform, step forward in the face of challenges in line with the changing aspirations, needs and desires of the multi-racial, multi-cultural and multi-religious Sarawakians.
“GPS will protect the interests of Sarawakians regardless of race inclusively and will focus on Sarawak’s interests and rights based on MA63,” he said.
