See Chee How
KUCHING: Batu Lintang assemblyman See Chee How has reiterated his call for the initiation of a mechanism to engage all Sarawakians to raise, deliberate and offer opinions and solutions to all matters and issues that are affecting them and the country as a whole.
The Parti Keadilan Sarawak (PKR) Sarawak vice-chairman believes that to celebrate Sarawak Day more meaningfully, all Sarawakians should take pride in their identity as ‘Sarawakians’; that they as ‘Anak Sarawak’ (Children of Sarawak) of diverse ethnicity, religious beliefs, gender and civil political interests would come together to address common issues and concerns in Sarawak for the betterment of all.
“As we officially celebrate July 22 for the third year, since this day was proclaimed ‘Sarawak Independence Day’ and declared a public holiday for the first time in 2016, we have grand ceremonies and memorable events organised to observe and rejoice the day.
“What’s lacking is the effective mechanism and process to bridge and unite all Sarawakians of diverse backgrounds and divides, and an engagement that will facilitate all Sarawakians to express themselves and to address our common issues and concerns in Sarawak,” he said in his Sarawak Day 2018 message.
See recalled that in 2014, the idea of holding a ‘Rainbow Roundtable’ comprising members of all political parties in Sarawak and non-governmental organisations was mooted towards discussing and finding solutions to the problems affecting Sarawak and Malaysia. He said the term ‘rainbow’ was chosen in view of it being regarded as a symbol of a gathering of people with different interests to address common issues and concerns.
“The Rainbow Roundtable can be workshops to discuss issues and causes of concern at all levels to exchange and deliberate ideas and views on visions and action plans, which may be taken up in the state’s (Sarawak government’s) decision-making processes.
“However, the roundtable has yet to materialise. With the change in the political landscape in our country after the general election, and the many challenges that come with it, it is opportune for us to reconsider such mechanism and process to unite and engage all Sarawakians in determining our future amidst the national effort to rebuild the nation and to fulfil the hopes of all Malaysians.”
See listed several key issues and concerns that would require common and collective wisdom of all Sarawakians – among them are the restoration of Sarawak’s position to its rightful place, in line with the Malaysia Agreement 1963; the devolution of legislative, fiscal and administrative powers to Sarawak; the increase of petroleum royalty to Sabah and Sarawak to 20 per cent or equivalent, as a step in distributing petroleum revenue equitably; provision of more equitable share of the country’s revenues to facilitate and accelerate rural development in Sarawak; and the challenges of the Territorial Sea Act 2012 and Petroleum Development Act 1974.
“I have no doubt that in the process of such participation and sharing, it would contribute towards the building of our identity as ‘Sarawakians’, of which all Sarawakians could take pride in. And we can look forward to celebrating the next ‘Sarawak Day’, which would be more meaningful and purposeful,” he emphasised.