SIBU: Sarawakians wants to see focus and priority be given to elevate their wellbeing, standard of living and the overall development with the reinstatement of equal partnership of Sarawak in the federal constitution.
Democratic Action Party (DAP) Sarawak Political Education Bureau director Irene Chang reckoned this should come with the change of status for Sarawak.
“Tangible benefits from the reinstatement of Sarawak should be directly felt and enjoyed by the people.
“With the legal reinstatement of equal partnership of Sarawak in the federal constitution, what people want to see is that this would not remain in name only,” she said in a statement here on Monday (Feb 14).
Chang, who is a lawyer by profession, opined a bill should be tabled to demand the federal government to urgently review Sarawak’s special grants under Article 112D of the Federal Constitution.
She said this grant was never reviewed from 1969 until when Pakatan Haparan (PH) government increased it from RM16 million to RM32 million for Budget 2020 but which was again reduced to RM16 million in Budget 2021 by the Perikatan Nasional (PN) government.
“People also want to see a show of muscles by the state government to remain firm and committed to the 18 points agreement for the formation of Malaysia. Over the years, much of these rights have not been zealously defended and protected and hence have seen the erosion of these rights.
“A bill should be tabled for the return of education autonomy to the state as it was in point 15 of the 18 points that education system of Borneo should be maintained and hence should remain under state control.
“It has long been acknowledged that Sarawakians are not happy with how the federal government has performed in the area of education in Sarawak. Besides the physical lack as depicted in dilapidated schools, lack of facilities and funds, Sarawakians are not happy with how the syllabuses are often tainted with religious and race issues,” she said.
Chang pointed out that a bill to push for the executive authority over healthcare to be decentralised and transferred to Sarawak should also be tabled.
“This matter has long been acknowledged to be dismally performed by the federal government, so much so, many of the hospitals in Sarawak suffered from lack of specialist care, medical facilities and equipment.”
With Sarawak now being supposedly clothed with the authority of an equal partner, Chang said the Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) government should ensure that they put right and return to the people where they have been short changed by the federal government for so many years.
“They should therefore table more of these urgent bills in this coming three-day legislative assembly (DUN) sitting to reinforce the 18 points and to also seek more financial and other tangible benefits for the people in the forthcoming parliamentary sitting which commences on Feb 28,” Chang further said.
