KUCHING: Pakatan Harapan (PH) Sarawak chairman Chong Chieng Jen calls on Sarawakians to help them win as many seats as possible to provide a strong check and balance within Sarawak.
“The best way to strengthen Sarawak is not to give absolute power to GPS but to have a strong “check and balance” system.
“Having a strong check and balance system, a positive pressure among the main parties with national influence can only be beneficial to Sarawak,” Chong stressed during a press conference held at DAP headquarters here today (Nov 8).
Chong cited the Special Committee on Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) as an example of how the counter balance between PH and GPS on the national front has benefitted the people in Sarawak where 17 out of 21 items discussed was agreed upon.
“Even when we (PH) were in opposition, through our influence on the national platform, we signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) where one of the conditions was to expedite the restoration of Sarawak’s original status under Article 1(2) of the Federal Constitution.
“Within two months of signing the MoU, it was tabled and approved in Parliament with full support from both political divides,” he added.
Chong also stated that due to the MoU, PH was able to negotiate with the Finance Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz to increase the allocations to Sarawak.
“We managed to negotiate and in the end received extra RM450 million on top of what was first announced in the Budget 2022.
“These are examples of how a strong presence of party with national influence like DAP Sarawak could act as a counter balance on the national level to benefit Sarawak.”
Chong admitted that GPS has undeniably strong mandate in Sarawak as shown by their control of 76 seats out of the 82 seats in the Legislative Assembly.
“Even in this election, they are predicted to win a majority of the seats, especially in rural areas.
“That is why it is beneficial to Sarawakians to allow PH to win as many seats as possible to provide counter balance to achieve what is best for Sarawak and also Malaysia,” Chong said.
