NAJIB: I’M A GOOD FRIEND OF SARAWAK
Federal Govt prepared to restore rights of state
PRIME Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak said the Federal Government has no issues about returning to Sarawak any of its rights which may have been inadvertently taken.
He said a high-level committee had been formed at the federal level to discuss the matter with the high-level committee that the state government had established to restore the rights of Sarawak under the Malaysia Agreement 1963.
“We do not need to take away the rights of other people. I want to see happiness among the people in Sarawak.
“We can have discussions to find solutions. Even in the cabinet, there are many ministers from Sarawak.
“This is unlike DAP, which only has one person from Sarawak in the party’s Central Executive Committee and, yet, they are talking about fighting for the rights of the state,” he said when opening the 14th general assembly of Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) here yesterday.
He said the government was honest and sincere on many issues compared with the time when people could be arrested under the Internal Security Act (ISA) for speaking on matters, such as the Malaysia Agreement 1963.
He praised the unity and consensus demonstrated by PBB as many positions were won unopposed.
He said this should serve as a model for other political parties.
Najib, who is also Barisan Nasional chairman, said looking at the unity, consensus and fighting spirit demonstrated by PBB, he was confident that the party was ready to face the general election and would deliver the best outcome for the coalition.
On Sarawak’s development, he said the government had never failed to channel allocations to the state.
Najib said as prime minister he wanted to ensure there was no development gap among the states.
He reiterated his commitment to continue championing the national interest and fair distribution of development for every part of the country, from Perlis to Sabah.
“If there are any areas that are left behind, then, it is my responsibility to rectify this kepincangan (discrepancy) to ensure that no development gap exists (in the country).
“This also applies to Sarawak. You do not have to worry. I am a good friend of Sarawak.
“There should be no development gap in Sarawak, and the state deserves the allocation that has been given.
“And, I have never hesitated when approving allocations for Sarawak because the state is big,” he said to loud applause from 5,000 party delegates and observers, who attended the conference at the Borneo Convention Centre Kuching here.
Najib said it was for this reason that he was focusing on the development of the Pan-Borneo Highway that cost RM14 billion and was expected to be completed in 2021, and would be toll-free.
He said he was focusing on building roads to Kapit in the interior so that the area could be linked to the outside world.
Najib said as the prime minister, he had visited Sarawak 59 times