Development a collective What are we saving Sarawak from, Yii asks Dr Sim responsibility, people reminded
SIMUNJAN: Development is not the sole work of an elected representative, but is also the collective responsibility of the people – specifically the constituents.
In this sense, Barisan Nasional (BN) candidate for Batang Sadong parliamentary constituency Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri assures all that the BN grassroots leaders, particularly those from Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB), subscribe to this principle.
“The grassroots leaders, therefore, must be bold enough to defend the BN candidates in this parliamentary election because our (BN candidates) strive to meet the needs and aspirations of the people.
“They must not fear the opposition members, who can only criticise the development agenda of the BN-led government,” she said during a walkabout programme for Punggor zone here yesterday, organised by PBB.
Reiterating the collective responsibility principle, Nancy viewed development as being ‘everyone’s struggle’.
“It should not be me alone working. If it weren’t for you (the grassroots leaders) submitting letters of requests and applications for projects to me, the roads – like the one that you are using today – would not be built.
“Having said this, it is my job to bring your requests and applications up to the higher authorities – the relevant ministries. You can see with your own eyes the fruits of your labour.
“Therefore, you should not fear the opposition because we all have done our job,” she said, pointing out the road leading to Kampung Lubok Samsu here as proof of their good work, apart from the 24-hour electricity and water supply that they are enjoying now.
Moreover, Nancy also assured the people that once certain technicalities affecting the Bengoh Dam project in Kuching had been solved, they would no longer face any water supply problem. KUCHING: Sarawak United People’s Party ( SUPP) president and Barisan Nasional ( BN) candidate for Stampin Datuk Dr Sim Kui Hian needs to explain to Sarawakians what the party wants to save Sarawak from.
Democratic Action Party ( DAP) candidate for Bandar Kuching Kelvin Yii was responding to Dr Sim’s recent remark that this election ‘is about saving Sarawak’, in making the request.
“What does SUPP want to save Sarawak from? Since there is a need to be saved, that means there is a problem to begin with. We need to ask ourselves what is the core or source of that problem,” he told a press conference at DAP headquarters here yesterday.
He wondered if Dr Sim was admitting that BN Sarawak had failed to protect the state’s rights since they had been the ruling government since the beginning and now there is a need to save Sarawak.
He said Dr Sim had to be reminded that Sarawak’s rights under the Malaysia Agreement 1963 ( MA63) were taken away by the BN and Umno over the years.
“BN and Umno were the ones that took away our rights and resources in the fi rst place with the direct consent of all BN Sarawak component parties including SUPP.”
Yii said the BN federal government took away Sarawak’s oil and gas resources through the Petroleum Development Act (PDA) 1974 and downgraded our special standing in the federation in the 1976 constitutional amendments.
“These are just a few examples of our rights being eroded by the BN- Umno government with full consent of our BN Sarawak leaders.
“The greatest threat and problem plaguing not just Sarawak but the whole Malaysia is the corrupt regime of BN- Umno which has not only stolen our rights but also our public coffers, causing our economy to suffer and resulting in increasing prices of goods and cost of living for every average Malaysian,” he said.
He added that the BN- Umno regime ‘ is the reason for the introduction of oppressive taxes like goods and services tax (GST) that have taken a toll on the people’.
He felt that the same regime was also responsible for the country’s quality of education that leaves much to be desired, the rise of racial and religious sentiments and the spiralling national debts.
“Our national debts are at a worrying level, and yet BN made little efforts to be stringent in their spending and even make no efforts to curb corruption and wastage,” he said.
Quoting the recent Auditor General’s report, Yii said 15.5 per cent of the federal budget was estimated to have gone to waste last year. This wastage is said to be about RM27 billion.
“All these debts and wastage will be paid by Sarawakians including our children and our children’s children because of bad management and bad governance by the BN government.
“I agree with Dr Sim that this poll is about saving Sarawak. We need to be saved from BN-Umno. Any vote for SUPP or PBB or any other component parties is a direct vote to empower and strengthen BN-Umno.
“Any attempts by SUPP to isolate themselves from the happenings in Peninsular Malaysia is not only self- deceiving but outright irresponsible to the interest of the people of Sarawak,” he added.
Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri, Batang Sadong parliamentary constituency