Swakians shocked ‘new deal’ promises come with conditions

KUCHING: Sarawakians are shocked that the ‘new deal’ promises made by Pakatan Harapan (PH) such as 20 per cent oil and gas royalties and returning 50 per cent of tax revenue collected in Sarawak “are in fact conditional”, said Sarawak United People's Party (SUPP) Youth chief Michael Tiang.

Tiang, who is a political secretary to the Chief Minister, said PH "cannot impose new and additional conditions for them to fulfil their election promises after winning".

"If they need more time, time can be given," he said in a statement yesterday.

Tiang was responding to PH Sarawak chairman Chong Chieng Jen previously blaming the Sarawak government for failing to agree to take over education and public health from Putrajaya as the reason the deal is off.

Tiang said Sarawakians "cannot recall they heard or read such fine print in PH’s ceramah or Buku Harapan".

He said Chong, who is Deputy Minister of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs, "must acknowledge the fact that Sarawak has rights to our oil and autonomy".

"We did not attain those rights through bargaining or exchanging conditions with any party. I keep wondering why our deputy minister, who is a Sarawakian, would care to continue downgrading Sarawak's position in all these matters.

"Can’t he understand for a minute that Sarawakians are not begging for extra grace from the federal. We are demanding for what is ours," he added.

Tiang pointed out no one forced PH to make those promises prior to the parliamentary polls.