Don’t blame PH for your failures, Chong tells GPS, SUPP
The Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) state government and Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP) are told to stop pinning the blame on Pakatan Harapan (PH) for their failure to bring about further development to Sarawak in the past 57 years.
State PH and Democratic Action Party (DAP) Sarawak chairman Chong Chieng Jen said it was ridiculous for GPS and SUPP to blame the former PH government for Sarawak’s lack of development when the former ruled the country for 57 years and the latter was in power for only 22 months.
He made these remarks in response to a recent Facebook post of SUPP president and Local Government and Housing Minister Dato Sri Dr Sim Kui Hian blaming the former PH government for cancelling the Petra Jaya Hospital project.
Dr Sim claimed that the Petra Jaya Hospital would be ready by now, offering an extra 300 beds during this pandemic, had the PH government not cancelled the project in 2018.
“This is very typical of SUPP spreading untrue statements to cover up their failure of the past 57 years.
“The Petra Jaya Hospital project was approved in 2011 and commenced in 2013.
“The project was scheduled for completion in 2016 when it was still under the rule of Barisan Nasional (BN).
“In 2016, former state Health Department director Dr Jamilah Hashim said the Petra Jaya Hospital project was a sick project, 36 per cent behind schedule,” said Chong during his Facebook Live session yesterday.
The Stampin MP and Kota Sentosa assemblyman said the project, which was supposed to be ready in 2017, was further delayed with the contractor ordered to pay penalty of RM90,000 per day.
“When we became the government, we ceased the contract because we realised that the project was too sick to be continued.
“The contractor was fined RM9 million plus by September 2017 and proposed for another year to complete the project. “In 2018, the state Health Department, Dr Sim and PWD (Public Works Department) Sarawak had unanimously decided at a meeting in Kuching to stop the contract and appoint another contractor to carry on with the project.
“But no contractor wanted to take over,” pointed out Chong.
As far as this project was concerned, he said the tender process was not done in a transparent manner.
He said the Perikatan Nasional (PN) government had been in power for a year now and the GPS government still could not get the project completed.
“Now you blame the PH government for stopping the project.
“Dr Sim, please remember that you were at the meeting to agree to cease the contract.
“The project commenced in 2013 and became a sick project in 2017 and in 2018 Dr Sim agreed to stop the contract, why blame the PH government?” he added.
Chong advised SUPP to think twice before pinning the failure of BN and GPS in the past 57 years on the 22-month PH government.
“It is as if the 22-month PH government is the reason why there are over 1,000 dilapidated schools in Sarawak, as if because of the 22 months, Sarawak’s infrastructure is several years behind the Semenanjung and because of the 22 months, Sarawak is so backward.
“This is ridiculous. So be honest to yourself and to the people of Sarawak.
“That should be the way in politics and not just talk for the sake of talking and bluff for the sake of bluffing,” he said.