SUPP accuses Baru of neglecting Sarawak when he was Works Minister

KUCHING: Sarawak United People's Party (SUPP) Youth Chief Michael Tiang criticises Ba Kelalan assemblyman Baru Bian for criticising SUPP's convention resolution, while he did nothing for Sarawak when he was in the federal cabinet for 22 months.

Tiang said, while the Public Works Ministry was under Baru's purview last time, the federal government cancelled several bridge projects in Sarawak, namely the Batang Lupar (5km)-RM 1 billion, Batang Igan (1.34km)- RM 310.8 million and Batang Rambungan (0.6km)-RM 142.2 million.

"Until today, although Baru Bian had since jumped from PKR over to join PSB, he has never offered any explanations to Sarawakians on why as a Sarawakian Federal Minister for Public Works, these bridge projects in Sarawak were cancelled without reasons. His silence on Sarawak's project loss worth about RM1.5 billion is still deafening," he said in a statement on Thursday.

"While he is pointing fingers at SUPP by accusing SUPP for failing to fight for the establishment of state sovereign fund in the past, I want Baru Bian our former federal minister to tell Sarawakians where was he when Sarawak government was claiming our rights of sales taxes over petroleum products in Sarawak, particularly our claims against Petronas."

"I would like to remind Baru Bian that his PSB party president Wong Soon Koh was the state minister of Finance II from 2006 till 2019. Yet Wong didn't support See Chee How when See mooted the motion to set up a state sovereign fund in 2014. Baru Bian should confront his Party President first before he blaming others for not supporting See in the Dewan Undangan Negeri then. "

Similarly, Tiang said Sarawak Sales Tax Ordinance was passed and came into law in 1998. The sovereign fund should be meant for the money derived from Sales Tax that was implemented in 2019. In 2014, there was no additional fund for the State to set up a sovereign fund for such purpose.