SADONG JAYA: Sarawak is a country and should have equal partnership status with Peninsular Malaysia.
Vice President Datuk Julaihi Narawi said the people must remember Sarawak is not a state, but one of the countries that helped to form Malaysia in 1963 together with Sabah and Malaysia.
“That is what Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) is here for, to regain Sarawak’s eroded rights which have been enshrined within the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63),” he said during the GPS Flag Rally nearby the market compound, yesterday.
He said that when the rights are fully given back, Sarawak can use the revenue from the oil and gas resources to further develop the state.
“The Batang Igan and Batang Lupar Bridges was supposed to be fully funded by the federal government under Pakatan Harapan (PH), but it was put on hold, thus GPS decided to take over these projects, including the Rambungan Bridge,” he stressed.
He said with GPS taking over the cancelled projects, it reflects the party’s commitment in developing the coastal areas in Sarawak by building more bridges and providing better road connectivity.
“The Long Lama Bridge that is going to be completed this year is also one of the initiatives by the GPS government,” he pointed out.
Therefore, he said GPS will also be responsible for upgrading roads in Sarawak.
“Our own Sarawakian Baru Bian, who is Minister of Works can’t even do a thing about the cancelled bridge projects and this Pakatan Harapan (PH) government just ‘lepas tangan’ (hands-off attitude),” he said.
He further said that PH is just like what the late Tun Datuk Patinggi Temenggong Jugah Barieng said: “Anang Malaysia baka tebu, manis dipun tabar di hujung” which means “Let’s hope that Malaysia will not end up as sugarcane; sweet in the beginning, but turned less sweet in the end.”
He then said that was why GPS, which consists of people from all races and religion, is united as only they can decide what is best for Sarawak and continue the development projects.
He stressed Sarawak cannot depend on the federal government anymore, and Sarawak under GPS is able to bring the Land of the Hornbill to greater heights.
