Minister calls for full support for Gabungan Parti Sarawak

BINTULU: Sarawakians have been urged to give their undivided support to Sarawakbased political parties to fight for the people’s rights.

Minister of Welfare, Community Wellbeing, Women, Family and Childhood Development Dato Sri Fatimah Abdullah said only Sarawakians understand the needs of fellow Sarawakians.

The Gabungan Parti Sarawak ( GPS), she said, was formed specifically to govern Sarawak for the sake of the people’s rights.

GPS consists of four components led by Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu ( PBB). The others are Sarawak United People’s Party ( SUPP), Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) and Progressive Democratic Party (PDP).

Fatimah, who is PBB Women chief, said GPS ought to be given the full mandate by the people in the upcoming state election to independently administer Sarawak without being dictated by outsiders.

The Dalat assemblywoman said this when officiating at the closing of a special briefing on the Oil Mining Ordinance 1958 (OMO58) and Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) in Bintulu.

The briefing session was conducted by the Assistant Minister of Law, State-Federal Relations and Project Monitoring Sharifah Hasidah Sayeed Aman Ghazali.

“Our political scenario has changed, and this is one of our initiatives to engage with the grassroots members to explain our future direction to fight for our rights as stipulated under MA63 and OMO58,” said Fatimah.

She also cautioned the people that failure to get back the lost rights of Sarawak as stipulated under the MA63 and OMO58 would be a blow to the state as a whole.

Similar briefings initiated by the PBB Women supreme council had been conducted in Dalat, Samariang, Sibuti, Tanjong Datu and Batu Kitang. Next week the briefing will be held in Balingian.

Fatimah said during the previous briefing in Dalat, most members were still uncertain of the exact direction of Sarawak’s leaders after Barisan Nasional ( BN) lost power at the federal level.

“Before the general election, most of us here in Sarawak were not too aware of the possible consequences of the 1MDB scandal to the election but it really caused a disaster which led to the fall of BN.

“Our direction is clear, we exit BN and we say hello to GPS, our Sarawak based party.

“We separated with BN nicely and we cannot deny under BN that we had also gained some benefits but we wish to have more developments,” she said, adding that now with GPS, Sarawak can fight for the interest of the people without much interference and restriction.

Fatimah said to get back the lost rights, GPS must first win the majority votes of the people in the next state election which has to be held in two years’ time.

“Two years is not a long time – if we are still in the comfort zone, it is dangerous; now we are not in the comfort zone, even with a slight mistake, we might lose everything,” she advised.

She said the OMO58 could only be repealed in the Sarawak State Legislative Assembly and if the Pakatan Harapan ( PH) won, Sarawak’s rights and all resources would be controlled by outsiders.

“Even if we have less majority, it’s fine as long as we can win and we will fight to the end.

“Now we must find ways to attract new voters, engage the youths and attract them to join us. GPS serves the people, we are in the best position as we have experienced leadership,” said Fatimah.

Also present were Assistant Minister of Women, Family and Childhood Development Rosey Yunus, Bintulu District Officer Mataip Sayu, Temenggong Rosli Kamaruddin, PBB supreme council member and Samalaju PBB Women chief Dora Abdul Rahman and PBB members.