(From left) Tiong, Abang Johari, Masing and Dr Sim react after the opening of the inaugural GPS Convention at the BCCK.
KUCHING: The Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) government has ‘graduated’ and can look after Sarawak on its own, says Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg.
He stressed that under GPS, Sarawak did not need to rely on the federal government.
“I would like to tell you again, GPS had left BN (Barisan Nasional) because it has learnt a lesson. Now we have graduated. After 56 years, we have graduated and we can be on our own to look after Sarawak,” he said in his opening address at the inaugural GPS Convention yesterday.
He stressed that Sarawak under GPS would not go bankrupt, pointing out that in the first four years of the 11th Malaysia Plan (11MP) — which began under BN in 2016 and will end in December next year — Sarawak had spent RM37.1 billion from its own coffers on development, while the federal government only spent RM20.4 billion over the same period.
Abang Johari pointed out that according to Democratic Action Party (DAP) secretary-general and Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng’s arguments against GPS, Sarawak would surely have already gone bankrupt for spending that amount under the 11MP.
“But today, we’ve still got a reserve of RM32 billion in the bank. We are not bankrupt. Next year and in the next five years in the 12th Malaysia Plan (12MP), under GPS, we will not be bankrupt.
“We will develop our infrastructure. We will develop our trunk road. We’ll develop our bridges as announced before this,” he told the some 5,000 delegates in attendance.
The GPS chairman said airports in Spaoh and Sungai Tunoh would also be built under the 12MP.
He said there were those who appeared to be shocked that the GPS government had managed to come up with an RM10 billion budget for two consecutive years, questioning how this amount could be spent.
“We have our own way. We have our own resources. We have our own value system. If you study economics, you will know what is taxation. Taxation is an instrument for the country to get revenue and it is not fixed, it is flexible.
“And we have the right in the Constitution. By that way, because we have resources, we impose tax on the export products that are produced in Sarawak, including oil and gas,” he explained.
Abang Johari reiterated that the GPS government knew how to acquire resources and no longer needed to rely on the federal government.
He said the GPS government has the policies and foundation for Sarawak’s economic development.
The chief minister added that the GPS government would continue to fight for and defend Sarawak’s rights within the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63).