CMO refutes social media posting on warning to the Prime Minister

KUCHING: The Chief Minister’s Office ( CMO) has vehemently denied that Chief Minister Datuk Amar Abang Johari Tun Openg has issued any statement warning the Prime Minister not to give excuses to delay the devolution of power to the state accorded in the Federal Constitution and the Malaysia Agreement 1963 ( MA63).

“This office wishes to categorically deny that the Chief Minister has ever made any such statement and in such a manner, including those on all other issues raised therein, and considers it an unscrupulous attempt to smear the good name of the Chief Minister, strain the state’s cordial relationship with the federal government and for any other purposes only known to the originator of the posting,” CMO said in a statement issued here yesterday.

CMO was referring to a widelycirculated posting on social media, believed to have originated from Sabah, which among others instigated the people to rise against the federal government.

Meanwhile, chief political secretary to the Chief Minister Abdullah Saidol warned that the statement was a ploy, done by certain individuals with political motives to strain the good relationship between the state and the federal governments.

“Such statement which has gone viral in the social media is not true. This is done by certain people with ulterior motives, which has nothing to do with the struggles of the state government for the good of the people.

“This kind of extreme political rhetoric would only confuse the people and could cause illfeelings. It is done by irresponsible people who just wanted to score political mileage without taking into consideration the implications on the present peace and harmony among the people in the state,” said Abdullah.

He urged the people not to believe in such a crude and extreme statement which he considered as disgusting.

“Political propaganda must be moving towards developing the country and to strengthen unity and not to break and divide the people,” he warned.

Abdul lah, who is also the chairman of the BN Backbenchers’ Club and Semob assemblyman, reiterated that the state has reached pol it ical maturity and discipline that will ensure the negotiat ion for greater devolution of power will be done smoothly and in an orderly manner.

Recently, in his first press conference soon after he was sworn in as the sixth chief minister of Sarawak, Abang Johari gave his assurance to Sarawakians that he would continue the policy of his predecessor, the late Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Adenan Satem, in regards to seeking greater autonomy forth estate under the Federal Constitution as well as MA63.