Lo (seated centre) at the press conference surrounded by SUPP reps. – Photo by Chimon Upon
KUCHING (May 20): Penang will go bust before Sarawak if DAP’s reason for claiming that Sarawak will be bankrupt was true, Batu Kitang assemblyman Lo Khere Chiang said.
Reacting to Sarawak DAP chief Chong Chieng Jen’s claim that Sarawak had averted bankruptcy when it decided to scrap the light rail transit (LRT) project three years ago, Lo said the state was never on the verge of going bust due to its state reserves.
The Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP) rep compared the cost of the state project here, which has now been replaced with the autonomous rapid transit (ART) system, and Penang’s controversial undersea tunnel.
“Sarawak has a reserve of RM30 billion and still has RM29 billion even today. Penang, as far as I can remember, only has less than RM2 billion.
“Penang’s undersea tunnel cost RM6.3 billion, while our ART is estimated to cost RM6 billion. Based on that analogy, Penang should go bankrupt first and not Sarawak,” he told a press conference on the sidelines of the State Legislative Assembly sitting today.
Lo pointed out that the proposed ART was now in the planning stage as part of the Kuching Urban Transportation System, which involves the development of the Samarahan Line covering a distance of about 28km from Rembus to the city centre and the 24km Serian Line from 12th Mile Kuching-Serian Expressway to the Isthmus.
The project is expected to be operational in 2025, he said.
DAP national chairman Lim Guan Eng, who is also Penang former chief minister, had infuriated Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) leaders in June 2019 when he claimed that Sarawak would go bankrupt in three years.
Yesterday, Chong defended Lim, claiming that Sarawak did not go bankrupt because the state government had called off the LRT project which would have cost tens of billions of ringgit.
Lo today also told Chong and Lim to stay away from Sarawak and apologise to the people for their broken promises when it was part of the Pakatan Harapan government.
“Pakatan Harapan (PH) slashed three major bridge proposals in Sarawak costing hundreds of millions of ringgit. PH even has the cheek to slash the budget for grass cutting from Kuching to Lawas from RM1 billion to RM900,000. Who is the finance minister then? Lim Guan Eng. DAP. ” he said.
“Promises made including the recognition and the return of all rights under MA63 (Malaysia Agreement 1963) were conveniently brushed aside with the excuse that PH manifesto is not the bible. Such is the haughty attitude of PH and DAP.”