Putrajaya not doing enough to stem growing resentment in Sarawak, says minister

Desmond Davidson Desmond Davidson Updated 7 years ago · Published on 18 Aug 2018 12:59PM · 3 Comments

Sarawak Tourism, Arts, Culture, Youth and Sports Minister Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah says it is important for the state to be independant enough to decide things on its own. – The Malaysian Insight file pic, August 18, 2018.

FIVE decades of lagging development, calculated breaches of the Malaysia Agreement 1963 and spat over oil and gas royalties have incited nothing less than indignation from Sarawakians.

Heated debates in recent years over MA63 and apparent loss of state rights, and the current spat with the new Pakatan Harapan federal government over the royalty has done nothing but exacerbate resentment.

It has also “distanced us further from Peninsular Malaysia”, state Tourism, Arts, Culture, Youth and Sports Minister Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah said, in explaining why Sarawakians did not appear to be too excited about celebrating National Day on August 31.

“The debates distanced us from West Malaysia,” he said, adding that he hoped federal leaders were aware of the situation and would look to remedy it.

Karim said for Sarawakians, how one celebrates National Day was not of serious consequence, as August 31 was just a date.

“What is more important is whether we are free from poverty, economic problems and whether we (Sarawak) are really independent to decide things on our own.”

Karim said when it came to developing the state, “we are always being sidelined”, citing reports that the federal government had cancelled a large number of minor projects approved by the previous Barisan Nasional government.

“Many of our students go to the peninsula to study. When they study there, they see the vast development and changes in the peninsula, but when they return to their village, they have no water, no electricity.

“How do you think that makes them feel?” he told members of the Journalists’ Association of Kuching Division and Petronas public relations officials during a courtesy call.

Karim said if Sarawak continued to be sidelined, people who were better educated now “will be making a lot of noise”.

“When you are not happy, you just need a few politicians and social media to rub salt in the wound.” – August 18, 2018.

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Comments

  • Karim, what have you done good to Sarawakians during the reign of Taib himself? or least as his chief political secretary in the past? NOTHING pok

    Posted 7 years ago by Dayang Fazrina Abang Yasir · Reply

  • What a stupid statement by Karim. Last we know, Sarawak has been ruled under the BN government for umpteen years even if the parties there have dropped BN name. If there is any resentment now, let it be. Let the state burns so that a new Harapan state government can have the opportunity to replace the corrupted present state government..

    Posted 7 years ago by Jackal Way · Reply

  • The resentment was against the previous government... so....GPS... do something to win back we Sarawakians... or you will be in trouble in the next State Election.

    Posted 7 years ago by Tan Seng · Reply