Taib scoffs at PR’s ‘Kuching Declaration’

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THE HISTORY: Taib being shown photographs on the history of providing electricity in Sarawak.

KUCHING: Chief Minister Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud yesterday scoffed at Pakatan Rakyat’s (PR’s) ‘Kuching Declaration’, saying it is “unrealistic”.

He said the state already enjoyed wide autonomy and commitment from the federal government towards its development, something which the opposition seemed ignorant of in making the declaration.

“We are in fact moving (developing) very fast and the initiative from the state government has enabled the state to have full support from the federal government.

“And when the opposition makes the declaration, they seem not to understand the mechanism that we are working on, so they came up with lots of unrealistic declarations,” Taib told reporters after launching Sarawak Energy’s new headquarters and new corporate identity at The Isthmus.

The Chief Minister said one person who signed the declaration was not cooperative when the state government requested RM600 million from the federal government to develop land for the state’s five-year oil palm planting programme.

Taib said he did not believe the declaration was truly trying to champion the state’s rights.

The declaration signed last Sunday claims to honour the spirit of the Malaysia Agreement of 1963.

It states that PR would endorse the appointment of East Malaysians to head government departments in their respective states, increase oil and gas royalties from 5 to 20 per cent, and ensure equitable development (bringing the level of infrastructure development in Sarawak and Sabah to that of Peninsular Malaysia).