A SARAWAK rights advocate has said that Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng’s statement on the sharing of revenue with the two Borneo states yesterday showed that the Pakatan Harapan government was not above resorting to thievery.
Sarawak Reform Party (Star) president Lina Soo said that the DAP leader’s statement showed Putrajaya wanted to continue plundering Sabah and Sarawak’s oil and gas resources and use taxes due to the states to fill its coffers.
Yesterday, Lim told lawmakers that the federal government would only share its revenue with resource-rich Sabah and Sarawak after the country’s financial position improved.
Soo said Lim’s statement was not only ambiguous but smelled of political doublespeak.
“When will the country’s financial position improve? Next year?”
“Furthermore, Pakatan Harapan had promised that there would be more money as there would be no more corruption.
“Why is that not happening?”
Soo said the PH ruling coalition was beginning to look like the ousted Barisan Nasional government in plundering oil and gas-producing states’ wealth and taxes to “make sure that neither state can survive without federal (financial) aid”.
“This is not by accident but by design,” she said.
Soo reminded Lim and Putrajaya that nowhere in the Malaysia Agreement 1963 did it state that revenue-sharing is subject to the nation’s economic and fiscal conditions.
“This is just another unilateral imposition of terms and conditions by the federal government.”
She said the action repudiated the MA63, and compounded “the multiple breaches of the international treaty upon which the federation of Malaysia exists”.
“If the federal government refuses to return the revenue to the state in accordance with the MA63 agreement, then what is the point of Sarawak remaining in the federation when it defeats its very purpose?
She said the federal government was sabotaging Sarawak’s economy by breaching the MA63.
“Sarawak is at a crossroads, and the people of Sarawak must wise up and stand to the bullying and exploitation, regardless of which regime is in power.”
Soo also slammed Sarawak PH leaders for not speaking up for the state, questioning why they were so silent on serious issues.
She cited Stampin MP Chong Chieng Jen, Selangau MP Baru Bian – who are also deputy domestic trade and consumer affairs minister and works minister, respectively – and the usually vocal Bandar Kuching MP, Kelvin Yii.
Soo said they all failed to live up to their pre-election promises to procure an increase from 5% to 20% on oil and gas royalty and the return of 50% of taxes collected in Sarawak back to the state.
“Why are they lost for words now?” – October 25, 2018.
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Comments
Posted 7 years ago by Dayang Fazrina Abang Yasir · Reply
At least make a change in your stance and this time work together with the PH Government to achieve the states aspirations.
Be grateful that the present Federal Government is at least looking at the MA63, and is making concerted efforts to bring value to Sabah & Sarawak.
No need to play the role of champion of the people in addressing this cause.
People are getting tired.. it looks as though when given an inch, you are pushing demanding a yard!
Take it I eat a time but most important WORK WITH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT!
Posted 7 years ago by TTs Take · Reply
Nonsense!!
Posted 7 years ago by TTs Take · Reply
Posted 7 years ago by Yoon Kok · Reply
Posted 7 years ago by Concerned Citizen · Reply