Dato Sri Wong Soon Koh – Photo by Peter Boon
KUCHING (Jan 24): The Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) government under the leadership of Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg should now work hard to reclaim all the rights due to Sarawak and to the people of Sarawak, said Parti Sarawak Bersatu (PSB) president Dato Sri Wong Soon Koh.
He pointed out that indeed, the new federal unity government under the leadership of a dedicated and forceful leader in the person of Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim does immediately make a difference.
“He (Anwar) has demonstrated a zealous determination and an iron will to establish a new hallmark of a clean and upright government to wipe out inefficiency and corruption and to get things done without much procrastination.
“He quickly devoted himself to solving matters relating to Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63). Having now dealt with some of the devolution of administrative powers, it is our hope that the MA63 Implementation Action Council should move on to deal with the core issues affecting the Sarawak’s rights and interest.
“After all, the Prime Minister Datuk Seri (Anwar) has said in his speech delivered during the press conference on 20 January 2023: ‘we don’t want politicians to be said to only talk but not deliver or give commitment; I want rakyat to understand that politics is about integrity’,” he said in a statement today.
Wong was responding to the announcement by Anwar during a press conference after chairing the MA63 Implementation Action Council meeting to resolve matters relating to MA63 and other related issues recently.
He stated that he learned from the press conference given by the prime minster after the meeting that what came to fruition are just the devolution of administrative powers.
These, he noted, include giving power to Sarawak to directly implement development projects worth up to RM50 million to the Public Works Department (JKR) of Sarawak; the appointment of a Sarawakian representative as a member of Inland Revenue Board; additional allocation for upgrading the infrastructure of Customs, Immigration, Quarantine and Security Complex at Indonesian Border; returning of the state land issues; and increase of annual special grant under the provisions of Article 112 D of the Federal constitution for Sarawak from RM16 to RM300 million.
He also pointed out that Anwar had said that the outstanding issues have passed the discussion process and are now in the implementation stage.
“The days of slogan shoutings and the rhetoric of ‘powerful’ speeches are over.
“Real effort and hard work must now begin. We, people of Sarawak, would therefore like to look forward to GPS government to having the courage and be brave enough to go all out to fight hard ‘to reap the harvests’ for the betterment of all Sarawakians,” he said.
Wong recalled what Abang Johari said in his winding-up speech delivered on Nov 14, 2018 at the 18th Meeting of Dewan Undangan Negeri on Sarawak Rights and Strategic Interests, where he said: “the time is now, for us, as anak Sarawak, to come out front and defend our inalienable rights; we must fight hard, with great courage and wisdom.” (paragraph 3).
“He further said on paragraph 14: “while supporting the review of MA63, the state government will ensure that those special rights for Sarawak entrenched in the Federal Constitution in accordance with the MA63 must not be affected anyway, these include: (a) Our immigration policy (b) our rights to taxable powers like the imposition of State Sales Tax, port dues for state ports, royalty for minerals and timber etc, (c) our rights to our natural resources including land, (d) the protection of our state’s boundaries which extend to the continental shelf of Sarawak and (e) our right to formulate our own Development Plan and declare our own development areas under Article 95E of Federal Constitution.”
“He emphasised “These items would be strictly non-negotiable.”
“The Premier further added: “I wish to assure this August House and the people of Sarawak that I and the state government will unreservedly defend, protect and reclaim the rights belonging to the state as agreed in MA63..”(paragraph 16).
Wong pointed out that this was the strong stand and the pledge taken by the GPS government in 2018.