Chong Chieng Jen
KUCHING: State DAP chairman Chong Chieng Jen has described the claim by Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg that “Sarawak local parties determine their own destiny” as mere ‘hot air’ because the federal government continues to have full control of taxation, education and healthcare.
“If we were to ‘determine our own destiny’, we must have full control over the rights to taxation, education and healthcare. At the moment, these ministries and powers are still firmly in the hands of the federal Umno government. To our disappointment, the state BN government does not even dare to make demand for the full devolution of these three areas of power from its Umno master in the federal government,” said Chong in a statement yesterday.
Taking taxation as an example, he said the federal government’s revenue was RM220 billion last year and was estimated to be RM240 billion this year.
By comparison, the state government’s revenue was only RM6 billion in 2017 and expected to be RM5.5 billion in 2018, he added.
“The state government’s annual revenue was less than three per cent of the federal government’s annual revenue. As such, for the implementation of most major projects, the state will still have to ‘beg’ for the necessary funding.
“Moreover, the GST which affects the everyday lives of all Sarawakians was implemented with the blind support of Sarawak BN. On this matter, the Sarawak BN sided with the federal Umno government to force the GST onto all Sarawakians.”
Meanwhile, the federal government still has full control over education and healthcare, he added.
“How are Sarawak’s local parties going to determine Sarawak’s destiny when these three major ministries are within the full control of Umno? To make matters worse, Abang Jo’s so-called negotiation for devolution of power does not even touch on these matters, but only on some trivial peripheral matters,” he said, referring to Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg.
On the contrary, he claimed Pakatan Harapan has promised to the people of Sarawak devolution of power; 20 per cent oil and gas royalty and 50 per cent of all taxes collected in Sarawak to go to the state government; full power in education, including all matters on the school syllabus, building of schools, employment of teachers and
setting up English medium schools; and full power in healthcare including all matters on development of hospitals and clinics, employment of doctors and nurses and procurement of medicines and medical equipment.
“These are the new deal offered to the people of Sarawak should Pakatan Harapan become the federal government in the next election. There is no need for further negotiation.
“On the contrary, at the moment, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, the federal Umno government and the Sarawak BN government are still beating around the bush about the negotiation on the devolution of power.
“Even the 20 per cent oil and gas royalty which the Sarawak DUN (State Legislative Assembly) has unanimously approved three years ago has now been shelved and forgotten by both state and federal BN governments.
“It is abundantly clear that the federal Umno government will never devolve power on taxation, education and healthcare to Sarawak and the Sarawak BN does not dare to make demands thereof for fear of antagonising its Umno master.
“Furthermore, to allow Najib and Umno to rule Malaysia for another five years will spell disaster for the whole nation.
“Therefore, if Sarawakians want genuine devolution of power, in particular full power in education and healthcare and the powers on taxation, the only way is to have Pakatan Harapan as the federal government,” he stressed.