Reject GPS, peninsula-based coalitions, PBDSB tells Sarawakians
KUCHING: Parti Bansa Dayak Sarawak Baru ( PBDSB) has called on Sarawakians to reject Peninsular Malaysia- based coalition parties and Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) as both are opportunists in leveraging over Sarawak’s rights as a platform for their political interests.
Its information chief Bobby William believes that the right choice for Sarawakians is Sarawak Baru, which will be set up by local Sarawak opposition parties.
He said unlike Pakatan Harapan (PH) and GPS, Sarawak Baru is not only sincere in championing the rights of Sarawakians which are embodied in Malaysia Agreement 1963 ( MA63) but also the exclusive rights of Sarawak people over their land.
Providing an example, Bobby said the statements on oil and gas royalties over the past months by both PH and GPS had been quite a “push and pull” predicament.
He claimed that Sarawak PH leaders had made the same mistake as Barisan Nasional (BN) lawmakers from Sarawak in the past by agreeing to the Petroleum Development Act 1974 ( PDA74), making it as though Sarawak’s oil and gas and also sales tax belong to the federal government entirely, which is clearly not at all.
He alleged that Sarawak PH was willing to compromise Sarawak’s rights by offering their so- called ‘new deal’”, that comes with terms and conditions, while the state government’s action to empower the Oil Mining Ordinance (OMO) 1954 from July 1, 2018 was late in coming.
He said the failure of former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak and Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg to resolve the issue also had a bad impact on Sarawak.
Bobby pointed out that based on the above, both PH and GPS were not a good and transparent government, saying their political orchestra was only based on their political game to obscure the people’s eyes and subsequently take advantage of Sarawak’s natural resources. “Let’s look at the facts as Sarawakians. Are we requesting for an increase in oil and gas royalties or the ‘whole enchilada’ of Sarawak’s autonomous rights in the Malaysia Agreement 1963 ( MA63)?
“If we want MA63 to be honoured and respected as how it was agreed prior to the formation of Malaysia, shouldn’t we just focus on such objectives instead of being influenced by other means which could compromise such focus?” he stressed.
Bobby noted that it is an undeniable fact and also known that the Federation of Malaysia was formed with Sarawak based on equal partnership and not as a subordinate subservient to the federal government or Malaya as a whole.
He said accepting whatever offer which might compromise the full recognition of Sarawak’s autonomous rights shows clearly the weaknesses of Sarawak’s leaders, when they continue to give the impression that they were willing to accept or establish any ‘new deal offer’ at the expense of Sarawak’s autonomous rights
He said Sarawak should not be offered a new deal because the state’s autonomy was instituted as an integral part of MA63 during the formation of the federation.
“In actual fact, Sarawakians expect their state’s leaders to ‘tell off’ the federal (government) to restore the state’s autonomy to its original state, as how it was when the federation was formed.
“It is not supposed to be seen as though Sarawak is demanding for something new, it is something which had been long overdue since Article 150 of the Proclamation of Emergency was lifted in November 2011,” he said. Bobby believes that what every Sarawakian expects from the state’s leaders is not to ‘ask for’ for Sarawak’s rights to be returned but ‘ to tell’ and ‘ demand’ the federal government to give back Sarawak’s rights as stipulated during the formation of the federation.
He said after 55 years in the federation, the state’s leaders should have learned more than enough lessons.
He lamented that the bitter pains hidden underneath the smiling faces of Sarawakians for the past 55 years had caused Sarawakians to constantly remind themselves of the experiences they had undergone, for being too complacent, too naive and too accommodative and also willing to be compromised over the years. “It is best that GPS too should seriously reflect on themselves what they are doing behind the scene and not just leveraging over the MA63 issue for the sake of their political wellbeing and survival because all Sarawakians are watching now and know very well their ways of ‘trick or treat’.”