Fight for equal status and state’s eroded rights continues
SEBUYAU: Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg has stressed that the fight for equal status for Sarawak and Sabah in the Federation of Malaysia and other rights spelled in the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) has not ended.
“Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) government will continue to fight and defend Sarawak rights,” he said during the launch of GPS Zone 5 here, yesterday.
He said Sarawak has many rights under the MA63 which it needs to take back.
The struggle to reclaim the eroded rights started when the late Pehin Sri Adenan Satem was chief minister.
“Tok Nan’s struggle did not end with his demise. We must continue his struggle to claim back Sarawak rights from the federal government,” he said, adding that some of the things that the late Tok Nan fought for the state have already been implemented such as the column for Iban and Bidayuh in official government forms.
He said MA63 is a very important document because without it there would have been no Malaysia.
“We have rights over our resources and land as enshrined in Schedule 9 of the Sarawak Constitution,” he said, adding that negotiation is being held with Petronas so that when they want to explore for our oil and gas, they need to acquire the proper licence from the state authority.”
The chief minister said with five per cent sales tax on oil and gas, the state would be able to collect RM3 billion, adding that this additional revenue could be used to build the coastal road.
He also said that Sarawak political leaders are united and are able to work together, while many federal government leaders are quarrelling among themselves.
“Our leaders can work together which is a good example that we ought to show to the people,” he said.
