Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah
SIBU: The Pakatan Harapan (PH) government has a fiduciary responsibility to implement whatever projects that have been approved by the previous government that are meant to improve the people’s lives.
In stating this yesterday, Minister of Tourism, Arts, Culture, Youth and Sports Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah stressed that these projects were requested by the people.
“Sweeping them aside just because they were announced and approved by the previous government reflects the irresponsible way the present government addresses issues.
“These projects are projects requested by the people to the government of the day then…and as the legitimate successor to that government, the present government must make efforts to proceed with them,” he said.
Abdul Karim was responding to PH Sarawak chairman Chong Chieng Jen’s recent statement that the accusations hurled against the federal government for cancelling so-called ‘approved’ projects in Sarawak were a reflection that GPS lawmakers were worried of losing in the next state election.
Chong had said that the Ministry of Finance (MoF) had clarified that the cancelled or terminated projects were based on two definitive categories.
The first category were projects that were merely talked about or ‘hot air’ by former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak during his visit around the country prior to GE14, Chong said.
Chong, who is also Kota Sentosa assemblyman and Stampin MP, had said that Najib made the project promises, but there were no budgetary allocations approved in Parliament.
The second category of cancelled or terminated projects, according to the MoF he said, were projects that were awarded to contractors without any open tender.
Responding to this, Abdul Karim, who is Asajaya assemblyman, pointed out that there was no ‘blame game’ against the federal government and denied that the GPS state government was worried about the forthcoming state election.
“Sarawakians are just asking why projects … many of which are small projects meant to improve the livelihood of rural folk like upgrading and repairs of kampung roads, schools, community halls, religious buildings are being cancelled even though they have been approved by the previous government. It is easy to say and try to hoodwink the people that this is just ‘hot air promises’ by the previous PM (prime minister) and there are no budgetary allocations for these projects.
“As the legitimate government that took over the federal government, the present PH government has a fiduciary responsibility to fulfil whatever projects that have been approved by the previous government that are meant to improve their lives,” he reiterated.
He added: “If they could not do it…probably due to financial constraints, they must explain to the rakyat in Sarawak…and not ‘punish’ them. The people of Sarawak deserve some explanations on why these projects are terminated.”
Abdul Karim, who is PBB vice-president, opined that being a Sarawakian, it is better for Chong to not play politics and brush these issues aside with just a statement that it is ‘hot air’ promises by Najib and there is no budgetary allocation.
“No right minded PM…whether from the previous government or from the present government would be so inhumane to lie and treat their subjects this way …. knowing fully well they would face the wrath of the people if they were to do it,” he said.