King Wei worries about autonomy without integrity, transparency

0

Wong King Wei file photo

 

KUCHING: Padungan assemblyman Wong King Wei expressed his concern about the devolution of power and autonomy to the state government when it does not uphold integrity and transparency in governance.

“Autonomy works well only with transparency and clean governance. When we talk about autonomy, it is not just about rights but also the rights that come with power. When we talk about power, greater power comes with greater responsibility.

“It occurs to me that every time Barisan Nasional (BN) Sarawak talks about autonomy, it is trying to boost its chances of winning elections, be it parliamentary or state. I get this uneasy feeling when nothing on transparency and clean governance is mentioned while they talk about autonomy,” he said in a press statement today.

Wong, who is also state Democratic Action Party Socialist Youth (Dapsy) chairman, pointed out that the Pakatan Harapan (PH) government is determined to return 20 per cent of oil and gas royalties and 50 per cent of taxes collected in Sarawak to the state of Sarawak.

He said the additional 15 per cent of oil and gas royalties and 50 per cent additional taxes collection to Sarawak is equivalent to at least RM6.5 billion. At present, Sarawak is getting five per cent of oil and gas royalties a year.

“How do we quantify the additional RM6.5 billion annually to Sarawak? It is worth noting that the annual budget of Sarawak is only about RM6 billion.

“What Sarawakians should be more concerned about is how the Sarawak state government is going to use the extra money when we get it,” he said.

Apart from the 20 per cent of oil and gas royalties and 50 per cent of taxes collected in Sarawak, Wong said the PH federal government is also determined to devolve the autonomy in education and health to Sarawak.

He could not help but wonder how such autonomous rights to Sarawak could be handed to the state BN government which only showed keen interest in contract-awarding power.