Abang Johari speaking during the appreciation dinner. – Photo by Chimon Upon
KUCHING (Dec 1): The deputy prime minister’s (DPM) post in the federal cabinet has never been Sarawak’s top priority, said Premier Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg.
The Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) chairman said Sarawak has never asked for anything in return after winning the 15th general election (GE15), but for the Federal Government to honour the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63).
“Last election, we did not ask for anything, we went along with the election, we contested, and if we win, let it be, but we never asked for anything in return, especially with regard to the top cabinet post.
“That is the reason why, the question of DPM is not our top priority, because it is not in our agenda to secure the DPM post, however, if people give us, we take it, why not,” he said at the GPS Backbenchers Night ‘One for All, All for One’ (Sarawak First) appreciation dinner at a hotel here tonight.
He explained, he had always mentioned that what Sarawak wanted has always been her rights, the MA63, which is more important than DPM post.
“Because that is what we have been fighting for and I asked that from the new Prime Minister to fulfill what is written in the MA63 Agreement and the Inter-Governmental Committee (IGC) Report, that’s all.
“If that happens, we will be able to administer Sarawak, like what the late Tok Nan has always mentioned, only Sarawakians know the Sarawak affairs, and we will administer the state based on MA63 as well as the IGC,” he said.
He also thanked GPS component parties that have won quite handsomely in the last GE15, where the coalition managed to win 23 out of 31 seats.
“In the formation of the unity government, many people came to us asking for our support to support them.
“Finally, we abide by a decree made by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong to be part of the unity government. We are democratic country and abide by the Constitutional country and listen to the best suggestion brought forward by the King to form a unity government,” he said.
He added, during the just-concluded State Legislative Assembly Sitting for the last eight days, among important presentations made was the Sarawak Budget 2023 and the Sovereign Fund.
“I have noticed that the ‘other side’ (peninsula) was profoundly amazed by what we have presented, because we have done very well in the state.
“I noted that the debates done by our state assemblymen have quality because we have factual arguments not rhetoric but based on actual figures and arguments. We explain issues that are facing Sarawak today,” he said.
On the state economy, Abang Johari, who is also the Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) president, said there are many states in Malaysia that envy Sarawak’s new economy.
“In my concluding remarks in the winding-up speech, I did mention Sarawak has a bright future, believe me, actually we have a very bright future.
“Even the state of Selangor only has RM2 billion budget for 2023, unlike us for the last four years, our Budget has been RM10 billion and thank God, we got streams of revenue from our oil and gas, which is quite innovative because we imposed sales tax.
“Today I did mention about imposing another revenue stream, that is carbon storage trading. Petronas and Petros have an agreement, and (Petronas) Carigali has announced their proposed storage carbon. This means, we have some revenue, based on carbon trading, and now the trading is high in USD and we have high capacity to store carbon,” he said.
Abang Johari also hopes that in the establishment of the sovereign fund, Sarawak hopes to be a destination as an economic powerhouse for Malaysia.
“In Germany, a very developed country in Europe, they have a region that uplift its economy, that is called Bavaria. All the German successes are in Bavaria, and Sarawak wants to be the ‘Bavaria of Malaysia’,” he said.
Meanwhile, Satok assemblyman Datuk Ibrahim Baki congratulated GPS led by the dynamic premier that has led us to resounding victory and captured five new seats as compared to the PRU14, 18 seats.