Abang Johari offers the traditional ‘kuih kelupis’ to Debak-born corporate figure Datuk Abang Jemat Abang Bujang (left) during the Saribas Gawai Raya Open House. With him (from second left) are Mohd Razi, Jabu, Uggah (second right) and others.
DEBAK: The extra income derived from the oil and gas industry will enable Sarawak to expedite urgent development needs of rural communities.
Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg stressed that with the enforcement of the Oil Mining Ordinance (OMO) 1958, which took effect yesterday, Sarawak will not have to depend too much on funds from the federal government.
Speaking at the Saribas Gawai Raya Open House event at Riveria Sports Centre here yesterday, he said Sarawak is well prepared for all challenges or attempts by any quarters to stop the state from enforcing laws passed by its State Legislative Assembly (DUN) in 1958.
“They try to stop us by bringing us to Federal Court, but with the support and prayers from all Sarawakians, OMO will take effect today on July 1” he said, referring to national oil corporation Petronas’ recent unsuccessful suit against the government.
Abang Johari stated that he believed the decision by the Federal Court in favour of Sarawak was ‘divine help’ as the fight to enforce OMO
1958 was based on the good intention to generate better income for Sarawak to those in need, without having to beg for federal funding that at times would ‘take forever to be approved’.
“I am a believer of the principle that if we help people, Allah will help us. With the prayers from all Sarawakians, in one more year we will be able to increase more income for Sarawak. Insya Allah (God willing), there is a new way.
“So starting today (July 1), we will make full use of our authority under OMO to increase the state income and this will go back to the people in rural development – for our roads, water supply and power supply.
“If the federal government gives us funds, we (will) accept. If they do not give, we will have our own funds,” he stressed.
On the decision to quit Barisan Nasional (BN) to form Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS), Abang Johari said the Sarawak government will be an independent entity not having to follow Pakatan Harapan (PH) or BN’s whip.
“When you are part of a team like BN, you have to follow the team decision although you disagree with the principle. You cannot disobey a collective decision or you will be disciplined by the party whip. Under BN there is good, there is bad.
“Sometimes when you want to fight and uphold Sarawak rights, there are rules in BN that you have to follow. There must be consensus via parliamentary whip which we cannot object. If we object, we must go out of BN. Whether we like it or not, we must follow. So, I think we can no longer follow this,” he told those in attendance.
According to him, the time was right to quit BN and be independent in order to continue the struggle for Sarawak rights.
However, the chief minister was quick to stress that the Sarawak government’s move to be an independent entity did not mean that Sarawak wanted to pull out of the Federation of Malaysia.
“We are only fighting for our rights enshrined in the constitution and Malaysia Agreement 1963 that have been eroded over the years.”
At the same event, Abang Johari approved the construction of the new Debak district mosque at a cost of RM5 million, as well as two mosques in Kampung Serembang and Kampung Medang as requested by Saribas assemblyman Mohammad Razi Sitam.
The chief minister also approved RM14 million for a sports complex and RM6 million for the construction of a waterfront in Spaoh, along with RM2 million to solve the erosion problem affecting six longhouses and one village in Layar. He also said the licence to carry out sand dredging operations, which allegedly caused erosion at the Muslim cemetery in Kampung Bungin, has been cancelled with immediate effect.
Among those present at the event were Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas, Mohammad Razi, Layar assemblyman Gerald Rentap and former deputy chief minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Alfred Jabu.