Chong (centre), flanked by DAP Sri Aman branch chairman Leon Jimat Donald (left) and his (Chong) special assistant Sim Kiat Leng, fields questions from the press.
KUCHING: Many initiatives and programmes of the federal government could not be effectively carried out while information could not be disseminated to the rural people due to non-cooperation and sabotage by the GPS government, alleges Pakatan Harapan (PH) Sarawak chairman Chong Chieng Jen.
He said since Pakatan Harapan took over the federal government in 2018, many federal government initiatives beneficial to the people had been implemented, such as PeKa 40 (free or highly subsidised medical examinations and treatments), i-Suri (EPF benefits for housewives), Entrepreneur Grant programmes, PPRT (Program Perumahan Rakyat Termiskin), consumerism programmes, Bantuan Sara Hidup (BSH), and many others.
He said in October last year, the GPS government issued a circular to all community leaders and headmen that they shall ‘not attend, be present or participate in any programme not approved by the Sarawak government’.
“As a result of the directive, ketua kampung and tuai rumah were fearful to give their cooperation to all federal government department and agencies, and PH elected representatives to carry out programmes in their villages and longhouses.
“This is despite the fact that part of their monthly RM900 allowance (RM500) is paid by the federal government,” he told a press conference here on Saturday.
Chong said the federal government therefore had no choice but to set up Majlis Pengurusan Komuniti Kampung (MPKK) in the rural areas for the interest of Sarawak’s rural people and for better dissemination of information and implementation of federal initiatives.
“They are, however, still in the process of coming up with the standard operting procedure (SOP) before implementing the programme.
“If GPS politicians have genuine interest in the people, they should not object to such appointments because the appointees will all be Sarawakians .
“The ketua kampung and tuai rumah will still remain in their respective positions. The federal government has no intention, and surely not within their power, to replace them,” he said.
Chong added that the federal government would not forbid MPKKs from attending or participating in all Sarawak government programmes.
“Ultimately, the rural people will benefit from the appointment of MPKKs as they will be more effective in disseminating information about federal government’s initiatives and programmes, which until now, could not be done.
“With the appointments of these MPKKs, the rural people will have the best of both worlds – state government initiatives through the Ketua Kaum and Ketua Kampung and federal government initiatives through the MPKKs,” he said.