Uggah (right) hands over appointment letter to new longhouse chief Luta Empaga from Manga Bong as Chuat looks on.
BETONG: The Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) state government will not extend any olive branch to Democratic Action Party (DAP) in the current political situation, said Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas.
Speaking at the Bukit Saban-level GPS roadshow at Rh Francis Nyanggau longhouse in Penom here yesterday, Uggah said this was because of DAP leaders arrogance, high handed ways and unfulfilled promises to the state when it was in the then ruling Pakatan Harapan (PH) government.
“There will be no olive branch from us. It is hard for us to be friendly to those who had been and perhaps will always be unfriendly to us.
“And even now DAP leaders are blaming us for the collapse of the PH government,” he said when opening the GPS roadshow which was held for the folks in Paku Ili and Paku Ulu.
Uggah said many important projects for the state were cancelled when DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng was the Minister of Finance of the PH government..
“Our dilapidated schools still remain unrepaired despite the state government paying over RM700 million as part of its debt payment much earlier. He (Guan Eng) had demanded this as a pre-condition before the repairs, upgrading and reconstruction works could begin.
“Guan Eng too had last year arrogantly said the state would become bankrupt in three years time in his effort to discredit the state government,” said Uggah.
He also said DAP was only ‘wishful thinking’ when it declared its intention to take over the Sarawak government in the coming state election.
“A state DAP leader had promised 50 per cent of tax revenue collected in the state would be returned to it should the PH won the last general elections. The leader went on to promise Sarawak 20 per cent petroleum loyalty payment.
“All these promises had remained unfulfilled. Worst still, the PH government had just collapsed,” he added.
On another matter, Uggah Uggah who is also the Second Finance Minister said Sarawak had RM30 billion in its reserve but the government would not use it to finance the development projects in the state.
He explained this was because the GPS government under Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg has its own ways to raise extra fund for the purpose.
“Even the mega projects, described as unnecessary by an opposition leader a few days ago, to bring in and upgrade infrastructures in the state are also for the benefits of rural dwellers.
“We must have, for instance, a very good road network statewide first so that we can bring in more water and power supply projects plus income generating agricultural projects.”
Betong MP Datuk Robert Lawson Chuat, who spoke earlier, said the GPS had decided to support the Perikatan Nasional government because it did not want to work with the DAP in the former PH government.
“We had suffered much so it is a lesson learnt. We need to move on and be friendly to the new government which respects and appreciates us better.”