KUCHING: Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) has come out in support of Works Minister Datuk Seri Alexander Nanta Linggi’s stance on not accepting Palestinian refugees into Sarawak.
Its Youth chief Datuk Snowdan Lawan said, Sarawak has been a rare example of a multi-racial and multi-religious society where people live harmoniously together, and this should not be jeopardised.
He said these refugees, when granted asylum, might come with some demands and preferences when they grow in numbers like accommodations, education or human rights issues among other things.
“We can’t accommodate their preferences as we have a greater responsibility to improving our people’s welfare and living standard – than to be concerned with the aftermath of the war which is thousands of miles from our homeland.
“As much so we want to be humane, but our aid and assistance can be channelled in other forms through legitimate agencies such as Mercys’ International or the United Nations and so forth,” said the Deputy Minister for Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts.
On Monday, Nanta said Sarawak does not need to accept any refugees, when asked to comment on the caution issued by social activist Peter John Jaban of Sarawak Association of People’s Aspiration and several other non-governmental organisations (NGOs) on the probability of Palestinian refugees being allowed into Sarawak.
Nanta, who is also Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) secretary-general, said he wholeheartedly supports the stance of the NGOs.
“We must be very careful so as to maintain and nurture our peaceful state where the people are now happily living in perfect harmony. We do not need any element that can sow negativity, divisiveness and hatred among Sarawakians eventually,” he said.
“Prevention is better than cure (because) we do not want to regret it in the future.”
Nanta stressed that Sarawak should and must focus on socio-economic development for the good of her own people.
