State BN will never accept peninsula-based parties — CM
Abang Johari (fifth right) presents a Village Reserve Gazette to a village headman as others look on.
BINTANGOR: The state Barisan Nasional (BN) government will continue to maintain the policy of not accepting any peninsula-based parties into its fold.
Chief Minister, Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg said that one of the reasons behind it was because they believed only Sarawak-based parties which understood the aspirations of Sarawakians could be trusted to look after the interest of the state.
“This is especially critical now when the state government is fighting for the return of the state’s rights under the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) which somehow had eroded, and we need representatives from Sarawak-based parties to speak our hearts out,” he said during a ‘leader-with-the-people’ gathering held at the compound of Darul Taqwa Mosque here yesterday.
Abang Johari admitted that Sarawak BN government might be strong as it has 72 of the 82 state legislative assembly seats, but it needed strong representation at the federal level to fight for the interest of Sarawak.
In that respect, he considered this 14th general election as of great significance to Sarawak because “we are electing our representatives in parliament to be part of the federal government.”
Therefore, Sarawakians ought to support candidates from Sarawak-based parties contesting under the BN symbol which has proven track record in fighting for Sarawak’s interest.
He described the good relationship between the state and federal BN governments as a smart partnership which enabled Sarawak to obtain its share of development fund.
He however assured that the state BN was firm in its stand to not accept peninsula-based parties into its fold to prevent foreign culture from creeping in and harm the existing harmony and unity.
“Sarawakians are living in harmony and unity despite their diverse background. Peninsula-based parties delve too much on sensitive issues which, if not prevented from spreading to the state, could harm our harmony,” he said.
Abang Johari assured that Sarawak would enjoy fast pace of development as the state government had found new source of income to implement development projects such as roads, bridges, amenities and utilities.
He was referring to the state government’s recent acquisition of 15 per cent stake in Malaysia LNG Tiga Sdn Bhd which increased its shareholding to 25 percent.
With income from its investment in MLNG 1 to 3, the state government could deliver the projects it had promised to the people, he said, stressing that, all promises made by the state government were based on available resources.
During the function, he approved an allocation of RM5 million for upgrading of about five-kilometre access road to Mupong area and RM450,000 for the construction a surau at Taman Bintang here.
He also presented Village Reserve Gazette to a local village headman and approved land for construction of Bintangor basketball stadium.
Earlier, Assistant Minister in the Chief Minister’s Office Abdullah Saidol announced a total of RM393,000 under his minor rural projects (MRP) fund for distribution to various NGOs.
Of the amount, RM273,000 was for 50 longhouse security and development committees in Semop area; RM50,000 for Meradong Longhouse Headmen Association; RM60,000 for six village security and development committees in Bintangor town and RM10,000 for Meradong Saberkas Unit.
Among those present were Assistant Minister of Urban Planning, Land Administration and Environment, Datu Len Talif Saleh, Meradong assemblyman Datuk Ding Kuong Hiing, Repok assemblyman and the BN candidate for Sarikei Dato Sri Huang Tiong Sii, BN candidate for Tanjong Manis Yusuf Abd Wahab and Batu Kitang assemblyman Lo Khere Chiang.
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