KUCHING: Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas warned that the opposition will resort to the politics of lies, threat and intimidation to get the people into supporting them.
“Their aim is to topple the Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) government,” he said at a Christmas and New Year 2020 dinner organised by the Bukit Saban PBB division at the Spaoh community hall here on Sunday.
He said a glaring example was when Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng predicted that Sarawak would become bankrupt in three years’ time.
“According to Guan Eng, the state RM31 billion reserve would be used up within three years from now if the state kept up with its annual budget of RM11 billion.
“An international rating firm S&P Global Ratings had affirmed its ‘A- ‘rating on the state’s prudent budgetary performance, adding it had stable income. This indicates that Guan Eng’s allegation is baseless,” he said.
Another often exploited lie was on the state Land Code (Amendment) Bill 2018.
Uggah said that this had in fact protected the Native Customary Right (NCR) land where it had accorded the force of the law on Native Territorial Domains (NTD).
“The recognition of NTD would give its Native Communal Title, free of charges and in perpetuity,” he said.
Uggah added another tactic to weaken the state government was the introduction of the Federal Village Community Management Council (MPKKP).
“Even Guan Eng was reported to have described it as a weapon to undermine the state government’s influence among the rural folk and ultimately to topple it,” he said.
Besides that, Uggah also said that a few days ago, the leader of a state opposition party had said it was not wise for the state to finance the development of three regional development areas.
“He had seemed to conveniently forget that the Upper Rajang Development Agency (Urda), Highland Development Agency (HDA), and the Northern Region Development Agency (NRDA) were all about bringing development to the rural regions,” he said.
Uggah also added that there were the accusations that it had not been fair.
Meanwhile, Uggah advised the people to explore and grab whatever opportunities arise from the state agriculture development programmes next year.
“The government allocated a budget of RM797 million to further develop and modernise the sector.
“I also want to advise the people to remain united to ensure the state continues to enjoy racial and religious harmony in 2020,” he said.
Uggah also said with a harmonious environment, Sarawak can focus on its development agenda.
“Let us all too continue to give our full and undivided support to the leadership by Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg.
“He needs all our support in his endeavour to protect Sarawak’s rights as enshrined in the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63),” he said
Later at the function, Uggah announced a grant of RM300,000 for the St Mark’s Chapel building fund here through Unit for Other Religions (Unifor), in which Uggah is its minister in-charge.
