KUCHING: Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP) president Dato Sri Dr Sim Kui Hian claims the Pakatan Harapan (PH) federal government ‘will continue to take away the rights of Sarawak’.
The Local Government and Housing Minister said PH had been resorting to ‘diversion tactics’ to draw the attention of Sarawakians away from recovering their state’s rights.
Citing the imposition of five per cent state sales tax on petroleum products as an example, Dr Sim pointed out PH Sarawak MPs had failed to fight for Sarawak in the standoff between Petronas and the state government.
“PH government has its ways of taking away our rights. Shell and Murphy have paid (the five per cent sales tax on petroleum products), why not Petronas?
“The federal government will continue to make life tough for Sarawak. Why is Petronas not paying the five per cent sales tax? Why PH Sarawak MPs did not fight for us?” he said when opening the SUPP Annual Delegates Conference 2019 at the party’s headquarters here yesterday.
He observed that the PH government had been on its ‘reverse gear’ since it took over Putrajaya after winning the May 2018 election.
“They said Malaysians would no longer have to wait, that UEC (Unified Examination Certification) would be recognised if they took over as the next government. And now?
“And tell me if our life has changed for the better without GST (Goods and Services Tax)? Are we paying RM1.50 per litre for petrol? Tengok saja (watching only). Are our students still repaying PTPTN (National Higher Education Fund Corporation) loan?” pointed out the Batu Kawa assemblyman.
Dr Sim said SUPP “is the first multi-racial political party in Sarawak, and many parties around that time have disappeared”.
He added that the party would not be where it is today without the continued support of Sarawakians.
“We fight for Sarawakians and not for ourselves. We thank Sarawakians for supporting and believing in us.
“We are here to do something for Sarawakians, to protect Sarawak,” he said.