KUCHING : Sarawakians who voted for the Pakatan Harapan (PH) on May 9 this year are definitely disappointed by the 2019 Federal Budget, said Sarawak United People’s Party Stakan Chairman, Sim Kiang Chiok yesterday.
“The big votes for PH which resulted in many surprise losses in the last General Election showed that a good number of Sarawakians liked and supported the political platform that PH presented to them in its manifesto and campaigns,” he said.
Sim added:”It was strange when the new PH goverment said it could “do more for less” but with a budget at RM314.5 bil with less social handouts (BR1M), with no help for farmers nor fishermen, etc, compared to last year’s budget at RM290.4billion, it is a goverment that “can do less for more””.
According to Sim, the voters in Sarawak were promised the following:
1) 20% oil royalty. Instead they got 5% royalty and maybe 20% of profits at no certain timeline.
2) equal or 33.33% of development spending. Instead, they got 1.4% of development spending.
3) more low cost housing. Instead they got a reduction of 5% in the worth of all existing property through the Real Property Gain Tax on all property transactions after 5 years.
4) Bantuan Sara Hidup, which was BR1M, was reduced to RM500 from RM 2000.
5) Fishermen’s assistance. Instead, there was nothing for the fishermen.
6)Farmers’ assistance. Instead, there was nothing for the farmers.
7) PTPTN loans. It first promised to forgive all loans, then adjusted them to allow payments after the borrowers received a salary of RM4000.00 each monthly. Instead, now, all those with RM1000.00 salary are to pay via salary deductions.
With the minimum wage set at RM1100.00, no one is exempted. Sim pointed out that the PH government had not fulfilled any of its core promises to Sarawak.
“Stakan Branch respects the decision of the people to have a change in government at the federal level but all must have observed the new government since May 9.
Since then, we have only noted its failure to fulfil its 100-day promise and now as its intended budget for 2019 is unveiled, we see more of the same.” Sim , centre with his party members.
