SEBUYAU: Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) is the defender of Sarawak and its people although in the past weeks the coalition has been seen and accused of failing to fight for its rights enshrined in the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63).
This followed the failed attempt to amend Article 1(2) of the Federal Construction which GPS, Umno and PAS abstained from.
“Believe me, what our leaders are doing is for the benefit of the state and its people,” said Coastal Road Assistant Minister Datuk Julaihi Narawi.
“The establishment of GPS was not because we are anti-Malaya. It is an initiative to chart the state’s future.
“GPS represents all communities in Sarawak and its responsibility is to bring them to greater height,” he said at the launch of GPS Zone 5 here yesterday.
According to him, the coastal people were very thankful to the government for having approved many development projects in their areas, especially the construction of coastal roads and bridges.
He also commended the state government for going on with the construction of three proposed bridges which the federal government has scraped despite its approval by the previous government.
“This showed clearly the commitment of the GPS government to uplift the life of the coastal people,” he said.
Julaihi said the excuses given by the federal government for not building the three bridges was shortage of funds although it has approved many big projects in Malaya and 25 bridges in Sabah.
“We are being treated like ‘alas kaki jak’,” said Julaihi, who is also Sebuyau assemblyman. “Alas kaki” in English is “footwear” such as shoes and slippers.
He also claimed that certain federal leaders have dared to question the state’s rights under the MA63, like the state’s immigration autonomy.
“Immigration right is part of our autonomy. Just imagine them (PH) ruling our state, they would change everything and take away everything from us,” he said.
Julaihi also thanked the chief minister for providing the third vessel to operate at Sebuyau-Triso ferry point which started operating last week.
He said that not just the local people were happy but also the coastal roads users with what the state government is doing for them.
