BN did not fight for Sarawak's interests, says Abang Johari

Desmond Davidson Desmond Davidson Updated 7 years ago · Published on 1 Jul 2018 12:14PM · 9 Comments

SARAWAK’S Barisan Nasional left the coalition because the bloc failed to fight for the interests of the state, said Abang Johari Openg.

The chief minister said BN’s use of its parliamentary whip made staying in the BN no longer viable, as it was working against the interests of the state.

BN, which had administered the country for over 60 years, was ousted from power in the May 9 general election.

“I and my friends decided to leave BN because in BN, we were bound by the parliamentary whip,” the chief minister said, in reference to the decision made by Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu and his “friends” in Parti Rakyat Sarawak, Sarawak United People’s Party, and Progressive Democratic Party to leave the coalition on June 12.

Speaking at a Gawai Dayak gathering last night in the gold mining town of Bau, about 35km from Kuching city, the chief minister said if there were any amendments to be made to the constitution or laws that negatively affected the state tabled, they “couldn’t say no because of the parliamentary whip”.

“Whether we liked it or not, we had to follow,” he said.

One such recent law was the Tourism Tax Law, which erupted into a row between former tourism minister Mohamed Nazri Aziz and Sarawak Tourism, Arts, Culture, Youth and Sports Minister Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah over its tabling and the share of tax collected.

Sarawak, in the twilight days of the coalition, had in talks of devolution of power and rights reportedly tried to get Putrajaya to amend or repeal several controversial laws, which the state had deemed to have breached the Malaysia Agreement 1963 and infringed on the state’s rights.

The laws include the Petroleum Development Act 1974 (PDA) and the Territorial Sea Act 2012 (TSA).

National oil company Petronas had on June 4 filed an application for leave from the federal court seeking the apex court to declare it had exclusive ownership to all of the country’s petroleum resources under the PDA.

This was in response to a move by Sarawak to enforce its own laws to regulate the oil and gas industry in the state.

The apex court rejected the application, saying the declaration Petronas sought should start in the high court.

The TSA was deemed unconstitutional as it had affected the territorial boundaries of Sarawak in violation of the MA63.

The four parties have gone on to form a new state-based coalition, called Gabungan Parti Sarawak.

The chief minister also said GE14 was a blessing to Sarawak’s parties, as it gave them time to reflect on the country’s new political landscape, on themselves, and on “how to move forward with what we have in mind for Sarawak”.

Abang Johari, who said “only Sarawakians know about Sarawak and how to determine its future”, also struck a defiant note by declaring there were a lot of things the opposition-ruled state “could do without endorsement from Kuala Lumpur”.

He cited the new RM20 million water treatment plant for the district as an example of how to be “independent from Putrajaya”.

“We don’t have to wait for Putrajaya to give us the money (for the construction of the plant). We will use our own funds.” – July 1, 2018.

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Comments

  • Good clarification

    Posted 7 years ago by James Lee · Reply

  • Finally, you guys came to your senses. It's still too little, too late. 2021...out you go. PH is taking over Sarawak.

    Posted 7 years ago by Savari CJ · Reply

  • Then why you share the same bed with BN for so many years, if BN does not fight for Sarawak? Is it because BN is no more the Federal govt, n you cannot get Federal govt funds, that was the reason you quit?

    Posted 7 years ago by Peace Maker · Reply

  • Cannot get Dedak is the answer, this is the reason you left. Do not try bluffing

    Posted 7 years ago by New Malaysian · Reply

  • Since when did you make the great discovery that BN did not fight for Sarawak rights? Was it after May 9? Why did you only discover that after BN lost power? If BN did not lose power you will still be happily supporting the kleptocratic Govt.

    Posted 7 years ago by Casey Cheah · Reply

  • Wise after the event? I don't think so or is this a different Abang Johari Openg??

    No more money more likely!

    http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2018/03/31/najib-has-done-more-for-sarawak-than-a-former-pm-says-cm/

    https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2017/12/03/abang-johari-only-pms-views-on-malaysia-agreement-matter/

    Posted 7 years ago by Bob Archie · Reply

  • Finally woken up from a long sleep.

    Posted 7 years ago by Henry Mancini Jr · Reply

  • After a long deep slumber in Barisan, our Sarawak government should seriously consider following the footsteps of wealthy Penang and Selangor by giving goodies to its residents. Politicians should not just think of gaining wealth for themselves but actually think of the welfare of all Sarawakians. With the oil and gas now in the hands of the government, there ought to be a plan to set up some sort of "Norwegian sovereign fund" for all Sarawakians and the future. Surely a good Harapan government that seriously values our United Nations-recognised Malaysia Agreement 1963 will not obstruct such a worthy fund and other goodies that is initiated by our new independent state government. that seriously values our Malaysia Agreement 1963.

    Posted 7 years ago by Luke Chong · Reply

  • I have just discovered that it is not possible to edit my comments here. I wish to add these url references to my recent comment.

    Penang goodies: http://www.thesundaily.my/news/2018/01/20/penang-state-govt-announce-goodies-people

    Selangor benefits: http://www.helpinghands.my/benefits-for-citizens-of-selangor/

    Posted 7 years ago by Luke Chong · Reply