THE spat between Sarawak and Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng over funds has only slightly dented Sarawakians’ opinion of the Pakatan Harapan federal government.

They also believe Lim’s bark is worse than his bite. 

Lim had come in for some stick in the state for his constant reminder of Sarawak’s debts to Putrajaya, and claims that the state will go bankrupt in three years.

He had also riled Sarawak’s ruling coalition by pushing the state to make the first installment of a RM1 billion loan repayment – amounting to RM350 million – less than a week after reaching a special agreement to repair dilapidated schools in the state.

Locals who spoke to The Malaysian Insight said while Lim’s actions give the impression that there are strains in the relationship between Sarawak and Putrajaya, they believe the finance minister is not an important factor in the relationship.

“He is a person who just likes to create tension. He just wants to rile up the state.

“He barks but has no bite,” according to academic Joseph Ramanair.

Ramanair also wondered why Sarawakians are so worked up by Lim’s behaviour, saying that they shouldn’t take the federal minister seriously.

“I don’t take him seriously because most of the time, I don’t know what he’s talking about.

“Anyway, I don’t think he’s an important factor. The important factor is Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

“Dr Mahathir has a very cordial relationship with Sarawak and that should mean something in state-federal relationship,” he said.

Accountant Josh John’s view is also clear, saying that PH is a better option in Putrajaya than the Umno-PAS pact.

“I still think PH, together with DAP, is still a better option than, say Umno-PAS.

“PH has only been in power for a year. So, we should let them run the country until the next general election.

“If they perform badly till then, we vote them out if there is a better alternative.”

Like Ramanair, John has yet to come across a better alternative “to what we have right now”, adding that the previous ruling coalition had a stigma attached to it.

John sees Umno as a symbol of corruption and abuse of power and racist politics.

Lawyer Francis Teron blamed the media for fuelling the spat between Lim and Sarawak.

“The problem with most Sarawakians is that they read only the headlines. They do not read the whole report.

“Their opinion invariably is influenced by the headlines they read. And in many instances, the mass media were also not accurate in their reports,” Teron said.

“As far as executing his ministerial duties goes and what he is trying to, Lim is doing a good job. 

“So far so good. Well that is unless he… blocks the allocations of the state,” the Bau native said. 

Political analyst James Chin said Lim’s actions and the spat will only fuel anti-DAP sentiment among Sarawak nationalists.

The expert on southeast Asia said Lim seemed to have been badly advised on his dealings with Sarawak.

The Kuching-born director of the Asia Institute at the University of Tasmania said Lim’s demand for the RM350 million payment could touch a raw nerve in Sarawak.

“Sarawakians get emotional about things like this. They don’t like the federal government blackmailing them,” 

He said Sarawak DAP could be made to pay for Lim’s brusque behaviour.

“They will blame DAP and Pakatan Harapan Sarawak chief Chong Chieng Jen for this.”

Chin said it’s “best for Lim to just keep quiet until the state election (in 2021).”

DAP paid heavily in the 2006 state election, losing nearly half of the 12 seats it held. – July 27, 2019.