“DO NOT put words in my mouth,” said Local Government and Housing Minister Datuk Dr Sim Kui Hian to Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Deputy Minister Chong Chieng Jen.
Dr Sim, in his winding-up speech at the Sarawak Legislative Assembly yesterday, said: “Let’s not forget that our honourable MPs from Sarawak are representatives of the people of Sarawak, therefore must be Sarawak-first and should not defend Malaya.”
Earlier, Dr Sim had said, “Listen to the voices and aspirations of Sarawakians and deliver your pledges and promises, otherwise the voices of referendum will get louder by the day.”
To this, Chong told a press conference that the Sarawak government and SUPP were asking for referendum.
Yesterday in response, Dr Sim told Chong not to put words in his mouth.
“I want Sarawakians to know who is always acting and who is always playing politics. It is for the public to judge on what people said, but imagine if others say something which is not said by us, how are we going to trust them,” Dr Sim said.
Dr Sim said life was harder than before, and a change of government should be for the better but instead the people’s lives were getting harder.
“I went to visit a few small shops in the city and instead of prices going down, they are going up. The business owners told me that business has dropped by 50 per cent,” he claimed.
He added that even established tyre shops had closed down after 30 years in operation as it was not worth carrying on.
When asked by reporters on the reason for this, Dr Sim told them to interview the shop owners, and not just listen to him.
“From there you will be able to know whether business has dropped or not, whether life is easier or harder.
“There are a number of factors and life is just getting harder and it is for the government to show what else is there to be done.
“If the federal government is not funding us on low cost housing, then the state government will do our own affordable housing and the Chief Minister will announce more initiatives to share Sarawak’s wealth in order to lighten the people’s burden,” he said.
He noted that the state government could only do so much because the government did not impose SST or GST, was not in charge of inland revenue and did not control the currency.
He further said that the Chief Minister had plans to provide initiatives like BR1M to help the poor and the needy.
He said the chief minister had hinted that he would announce something for mothers who had just given birth – a six-month assistance.
Dr Sim said Chong is a deputy minister and he should know what to do in looking after the welfare of the people as in Article 43A paragraph two of the Federal Constitution which state that the deputy minister shall assist the minister in the discharge of their duties and functions, and for such purposes shall have all the powers of ministers.
“Therefore, what is written and said in my speech is clear, so do not put words into my mouth and please do something for Sarawakians. Keep your promises and pledges.”
