KUCHING: Sarawakians are called upon to rise and stand solidly behind GPS under the leadership of Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg in order to safeguard the state autonomy and other rights under the MA63 agreement.
In his winding-up speech in the August House yesterday, Deputy Chief Minister and Modernisation of Agriculture, Native Land and Regional Development Minister Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas stressed that the defence of Sarawak rights as contained in that agreement is the state’s priority and it shall henceforth be the policy to put Sarawak first.
Uggah said with the recent change in the federal government, Sarawak is now entering uncharted waters.
He said Sarawak has never been in a position where it is not part of the ruling federal government.
“The change in name notwithstanding, the present state coalition government under Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) is still fully in control with its more than two-thirds majority in this August House.
“Lest there are still those who are unsure, in Sarawak the GPS is the government and Pakatan Harapan (PH) is the opposition.
After 55 years of being behind Malaya in terms of development, Sarawak needs to take full control over its destiny.
“We have our own aspirations, hopes and dreams of a better future for ourselves, children, grand-children and generations to come.
“We must move and develop at a pace that we Sarawakians decide. We must have the freedom to chart our future direction in accordance with our own aspirations and within the spirit and intent of the original MA63.
“There is so much at stake for us, whether we are talking about control over natural resources, immigration, land matters, our tradition, our culture and our unity. Those are unique to Sarawak and only Sarawakians are in a position to fully comprehend the complexities, sensitivities and socio-political currents within Sarawak society.
“We should never be put in a situation where important decisions affecting our future are placed in the hands of those who barely know Sarawak and its people, or those who may have their own separate agenda.
“Thus, Sarawak must not be ruled by a party who takes instruction from Kuala Lumpur. “Sarawak must be governed by the best and most experienced party born of Sarawak.
“I therefore call upon all Sarawakians to rise and stand solidly behind GPS under the leadership of YAB Datuk Patinggi Ketua Menteri in order to safeguard our autonomy and other rights under the MA63 agreement.
“The defence of Sarawak rights as contained in that agreement is our priority and it shall henceforth be our policy to put Sarawak first,” he said.
Uggah said it has been 55 years since the formation of Malaysia with Sarawak, Sabah and Malaya as equal partners in the Federation.
That was the formula then, and so should it remain to this day. According to him, while the three partners have moved and developed as a nation, there have been subtle and not-so-subtle changes in that relationship.
Some of our State rights under the original MA63 have been eroded. Despite the huge contribution to national coffers from our oil and gas resources over many decades, we have been unable to secure sufficient federal funding for the development of our physical and socio-cultural infrastructure, which still lags very far behind those which our compatriots in Malaya are able to enjoy.
Our inability to obtain sufficient funds from Kuala Lumpur to allow us to catch up with Malaya is not due to lack of effort by the state government.
The country operates under a federal system of government which, until this year, was under the control of the Barisan National coalition. Even with strong representation in Parliament, he said the Sarawak BN could not always get what we asked for or what we deserve, for parliamentary democracy is about majority decisions, and the majority representation is from Malaya.
