SARAWAK will exercise its autonomous right to make policies that are right for the state if Putrajaya’s do not serve the interests of the state’s people, said Chief Minister Abang Johari Openg.

Abang Johari, in a Chinese New Year message today, said Sarawak would no longer blindly accept federal decisions that were detrimental to its interests.

He said cited the state’s Covid-19 management policy, which differed from the federal government’s on the peninsula, as an example of when Sarawak had exercised autonomy.

“Sarawak is lucky as we have the power to make our own decisions to suit our local conditions and not necessarily follow the decision of the federal government every time, which may not be in our best interests,” he said.

He said the movement control order (MCO) that was recently reintroduced nationwide did not apply to Sarawak but the state had decided of its own accord to lock down Sibu, the epicentre of the deadly Pasai cluster, and the surrounding districts of Kapi and Song.

Abang Johari said it was crucial to keep the economy going while taking virus containment measures.

“We are able to decide for ourselves to not impose the MCO, except for Sibu, Kapit and Song, to ensure that life can go on and businesses can continue to operate in order to keep people in employment,” he said.

“We cannot continue to close our economy but must find ways to get it going.”

“The government is well aware of the people’s predicament and the state government has provided various categories of assistance through BKSS (Bantuan Khas Sayang Sarawak) 1.0 to  BKSS 5.0 to lighten the burden of the people and the business and trading communities.”

Five aid packages have disbursed a total of RM3 billion in the form of cash, subsidies and loan and payment deferments.

The chief minister said the state government had spent more than RM75 million on hotel quarantines for people returning to Sarawak from abroad.

Non-locals have to pay their own quarantine and health screening bills.

Abang Johari said the money would also help to keep the hospitality industry in business at a time of worldwide travel restrictions.

While the state government’s financial resources were not unlimited, it had strong reserves and increased revenue that allowed it to lend aid, he said, alluding to the billions from the state sales tax on petroleum products.

“In spite of all the challenges, I am happy to tell you that our economic fundamentals are strong.”

He said numerous infrastructure projects, such as construction of roads and the Pan Borneo Highway, were proceeding apace to keep the economy going. – February 10, 2021.