KUCHING: Having the right name of “Premier” rather than “Chief Minister” of Sarawak is not just for mere status but the beginning of the subsequent assertion of Sarawak’s rights, privileges, and autonomy.
In saying this, Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Seri Dr Sim Kui Hian pointed out that a number of elected representatives had mentioned Sarawak Parliament while speaking during the State Legislative Assembly (DUN) sitting.
“All of these are coming – it is our rights, our privileges, our autonomy. Once you’ve got the right name – our Chief Minister of Sarawak who is going to be the Premier of Sarawak – it is a different status so that he can go and demand for all these changes,” said the Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP) president.
At a press conference at the DUN Complex today he said the Sarawak Constitution amendments were consequential as a result of the Federal Constitution amendments under the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) in December which came into force recently.
“It shows that the Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) government and SUPP, in really keeping up with the slogan of ‘Sarawak First’, have not forgotten MA63,” he said.
He said since 2016, the late former Chief Minister Pehin Sri Adenan Satem had set a clear priority – to look after Sarawak well.
“So, all these constitutional amendments are a part of looking after Sarawak, which we have all followed. These constitutional amendments are also a reflection of Sarawak political independence,” said Dr Sim, who is also Public Health, Housing and Local Government Minister.
When asked by reporters about the new term for deputy chief minister upon the passing of the Constitution of the State of Sarawak (Amendment) Bill, 2022 and the change of “Chief Minister” to “Premier”, he said it would follow suit.
With regard to Democratic Action Party (DAP) opposing the change of the “Chief Minister” title to “Premier” in Sarawak, he opined that DAP were worried because Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow could not change his title to “Premier”.
“So, they are second class already and that is why they oppose it so hard and use all sorts of excuses,” he said.
He also said DAP had been claiming that the Sarawak government had not spoken so much of COVID-19 issues, he refuted this by pointing out that the first Bill tabled on Tuesday was the Supplementary Supply (2021) Bill, 2022 which involved additional funding for COVID-19 matters.
“So, I have to ask whether those elected representatives mentioning this deserve to be in this DUN or not. If we don’t care, why have we put it as the first Bill?
“That is why I urge some of our DAP people that it is time to wake up – no more misleading and deceiving the people of Sarawak,” said Dr Sim.
