Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Adenan Satem
KUCHING: The third phase of the negotiation on the devolution of power from the federal government back to Sarawak, which involves matters on financial provisions, may include the issue of oil and gas royalty.
Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Adenan Satem, who disclosed this yesterday, said Sarawak is now on the second phase of negotiation with Putrajaya which involves looking at laws that impinge on Sarawak’s rights under the Federal Constitution.
“I am very hopeful that we could discuss in a very frank manner with the federal government and we are very much encouraged by the assurance of the Prime Minister that his administration would engage with Sarawak in all seriousness.
“I have just secured a 13-point agreement with the federal government on the delegation of powers and empowerment to state authorities by way of administrative powers.
“Some of the administrative decisions should be made in Kuching to expedite decision-making and ensure a better informed decision, while other decisions affecting the state’s interest should be made only after consultation with the state government,” he said in his Chinese New Year message issued to the local media here yesterday.
As the state ushers in the Lunar New Year, Adenan invited the Chinese community to continue to work with the state government to develop Sarawak.
He pointed out that the Chinese were the first community to answer the call to form a government based on the concept of power-sharing in 1970.
“Power sharing has worked well and we will continue to subscribe to the concept to build a better Sarawak.
“However, the power sharing will not work effectively if any one community is excluded from the coalition. I see no reason why the Chinese community now should lose faith in the concept of power-sharing with other races in our common efforts to bring Sarawak to greater heights of development,” he said in his text of speech.
He also mentioned that it was an undeniable fact that the Chinese community had always been an important part of the state’s political and economic life.
Their business acumen, vision and industriousness had positioned the community to be in the forefront of business, trade and industry in the state, he added.
“The businesses and industries have provided thousands of jobs for our people and bring revenue to the state through taxes,” he said.
On the Chines New Year celebration, Adenan said it had been entrenched as part of the cultural diversity in Sarawak much like other traditional festivals and religious celebrations.
“The forefathers of our Chinese friends brought with them their culture and tradition from China many years ago. Your forefathers may be called immigrants but you Sarawakian Chinese of today, who are a few generations after your forefathers, cannot be called ‘pendatang’ (immigrants) any more as I have pointed out time and again.
“Sarawak is your home for you were born and bred here like any other Sarawakians,” he said.
Adenan also stated that among the decisions he made in the past two years after becoming the chief minister was for Sarawak to recognise the Unified Examination Certificate (UEC).
“If we don’t (recognise UEC), we would continue to lose our talented people to other countries. With that decision, now UEC holders can apply for jobs in the state civil service and apply for scholarships and loans with Yayasan Sarawak.
“It is unfortunate that the federal government has not recognised UEC but I sincerely hope that one day after some adjustments to the curriculum, it would,” he said.
With regard to Chinese education, Adenan said he had given out RM7 million to Chinese independent schools and this year, he would give some more.
“These schools deserve to be assisted because they have produced many talented and learned Sarawakians.”
On a lighter note, he said 2016 would be the ‘Year of the Monkey’ in the Chinese zodiac, and coincidentally, he was born under that sign 72 years ago.
“We can learn something from the characteristics of a monkey. A monkey is clever, cheerful and energetic. We too, in the face of our everyday challenges, should always be able to get the better of adversities and have the energy, the patience and the heart to make our surrounding better each day,” he said.
He called on all Sarawakians to make time to visit one another in the spirit of Sarawak’s unique open-house tradition in this time of joy and celebration because: “Intermingling would allow us to interact meaningfully and be able to understand each other better.
“We cannot nurture and strengthen the bond of friendship among us without a good knowledge of our friend’s culture, tradition and religious belief.”
Adenan also stated that there were not many places like Sarawak where the people are able to live happily and harmoniously.
“We are different in many ways but our differences have never been an obstacle to unity in the ‘Land of the Hornbills’. The May 13, 1969 racial riot in Kuala Lumpur was only a rumbling in the distant hills for us in Sarawak,” he said.