PH to submit second part of its manifesto to state govt next week

KUCHING: The opposition pact, Pakatan Harapan (PH), will submit the second part of its election manifesto to the state government next week.

Its state chairman Chong Chieng Jen said part II of the manifesto is a new deal for the state should the pact form the federal government after the general election.

Chong, who is also state DAP chairman, said among the contents of the manifesto are 20 per cent oil and gas royalty to the state, return of 50 per cent of all taxes collected from the state to the state government, and full autonomy on education and healthcare for the state.

“We (PH) will forward part II of our manifesto (which will be signed by us), to the state government sometimes next week. We want to enter into an agreement with the state Barisan Nasional (BN) that this is a new deal for Sarawak if PH forms the federal government,” Chong, who is also Bandar Kuching MP and Kota Sentosa assemblyman told a press conference yesterday.

Chong also claimed that there was a lack of sincerity on the part of both the federal and state governments on the discussion about the devolution of power to the state government.

Showing a Chinese newspapers cutting, Chong said the late chief minister Pehin Sri Adenan Satem had said that the Nov 2016 august House sitting that the discussion was already at its second phase.

But on Jan 22 this year, Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg said the government has submitted to the federal government a request for the second phase of the discussion.