Abang Jo: Dr M did not develop Sarawak
KUCHING: Sarawak is left behind in development because Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad made no effort to develop the state when he was prime minister.
In his speech at the “Sejiwa, Senada” carnival here yesterday, Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Abang Openg blamed the Langkawi candidate’s “laziness” for Sarawak’s stagnant economy.
Although Abang Johari did not mention Dr Mahathir’s name, it was clear he was taking a swipe at the latter when he referred to “someone who had been prime minister for 22 years”.
“(Dr Mahathir) had made several remarks against (the leaders and people of) Sarawak. He said we are lazy, greedy and slow. (But) he is the one who is lazy. He never came to Sarawak and that is why the state is lagging (in development).”
Present were Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Rohani Abdul Karim, who is Barisan Nasional candidate for the Batang Lupar parliamentary seat; state Tourism, Arts, Culture, Youth and Sports Minister Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah; and State Secretary Tan Sri Mohd Morshidi Abdul Ghani.
He said several development initiatives, including the PanBorneo Highway project, were in- troduced when Datuk Seri Najib Razak took over the country’s leadership. On the 14th General Election, he said he needed a strong representation from the state, including from the Chinese community, for Sarawak to reclaim its rights, which had been eroded under the Malaysian Agreement 1963.