BY MOHD NASEER SALLEH
THE 22 months of Pakatan Harapan (PH) administration was akin to nightmare for Sarawakians.
The people were at the receiving end of a vindictive government that side-lined Sarawak’s interests and instead put politics above everything else.
From 2018 to 2020, Sarawak was not getting the best of treatment under the PH administration – among them were the cancellation of development projects in the state. This was despite the projects have been approved by PH’s predecessor.
With the projects’ cancellation, not only it did not help elevate the socio-economy of people in rural areas whose livelihood depended on the jobs provided through these projects, it also deprived them with sorely needed infrastructures which they have been longing for.
The PH government was also reluctant to get dilapidated schools being repaired and held children to ransom with the school repairs.
At the same time, PH also bordered on encroachment onto state rights by establishing the Federal Village Safety and Development Committee (MPKKP), when Sarawak already has its own Village Security and Development Committee (JKKK) in all villages state-wide.
This was followed by the non-payment of the State Sales Tax (SST) along with accusing that Sarawak will be bankrupt in three years – a move that could have severe repercussions, affecting investor confidence.
PH, when in government wasn’t interested in returning the eroded rights under MA63 to Sarawak, much less develop Sarawak.
Among the promises made were 20 per cent oil royalty and returning 50 per cent of taxes collected from Sarawak to the state. This has not materialised and was described as “really not workable” by then PH prime minister.
At the same time, their pledges to Sarawak and Sabah in their manifesto such as creating more jobs for Sarawak and Sabah; implementing MA63; improving education and decentralisation of power to the Borneo States have remained empty promises.
In fact, all of these promises, while not made by GPS have been fulfilled by the coalition. They were the ones who developed Sarawak; obtained revenues similar to 20 per cent royalty; creating more jobs in the state; improving education and pushing for decentralisation of power.
It is clear that the PH Sarawak leaders, who are beholden to their party bosses in Malaya does not have the political will to fight valiantly for the state.
Instead, it is GPS, despite being an opposition to the PH federal government then which has delivered and the people has rightly recognised this.
