State PH unveils third part of manifesto

KUCHING: The state Pakatan Harapan (PH) has launched its third salvo that unveils its seven guarantees for Sarawak within one year if the coalition forms the federal government after the May 9 general election.

Its chairman Chong Chieng Jen said one of the seven guarantees is for all religions in Sarawak to have equitable access to development in line with Article 3 and Article 11 of the Federal Constitution.

“Under Barisan Nasional (BN) government there is no systematic and regular fund allocation for other religious groups other than Islam until a lot of Christians and believers of other faiths are struggling to build their places of worship.

“We in PH will make sure that all religions shall enjoy equitable distribution of building funds and lands for the construction of places of worship, and equitable distribution of funds for religious activities,” he said at the unveiling of PH’s seven guarantees at the Democratic Action Party (DAP) headquarters here yesterday.

Chong said PH would also declare 10 per cent of the total oil revenues that Sarawak earns from the oil and gas industry as petro cash dividends for Sarawakians.

“PH had promised to give 20 per cent oil royalties to Sarawak while Sarawak BN only promised to fight for 20 per cent.

“Also, the difference between PH and BN is that PH will put some of the revenues into the people’s hands.

“The government of the day cannot even promise to give 20 per cent oil royalties to Sarawak, let alone giving the cash,” he said.

Other guarantees are:

• RM1 billion for the repair and upgrading of dilapidated rural schools and provisions of facilities and increase staffing.

• A stable price support system for farmers of raw rubber and raw pepper.

• Subsidised public bus services in all major towns in Sarawak.

• Expedite process of identity card registration and birth certificate applications, and rectify mistakes of names, addresses and religions on identify card (IC)

• (A) Solar, micro-hydro and biogas options for rural communities still without access to electricity. (B) Shall not support the provision of federal government loans and grants for the construction of any mega hydro-electric dams.