Lo speaking in his Facebook live stream last night.

KUCHING (Nov 8): Sarawak’s voice can be better represented in the Parliament with 31 candidates from Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) being elected in the coming 15th General Election (GE15), said GPS’ Stampin candidate Lo Khere Chiang.

Lo remarked there was not real purpose in choosing opposition parties in GE15, particularly the Democratic Action Party (DAP), since GPS is a 100 per cent local-based political coalition fighting for Sarawak’s interests.

“This time, we go into the general election under the umbrella of GPS, and whichever party that forms the federal government, they will most likely need the support of GPS,” said Lo in a Facebook live stream last night.

Lo, who is also Batu Kitang assemblyman and Padawan Municipal Council (MPP) chairman, said Sarawakians must unite under GPS which is a politically independent coalition, as Peninsula Malaysia-based political parties had been mistreating Sarawak for over 50 years.

“Today, Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) has been enshrined in the Federal Constitution and the caretaker de-facto law minister Dato Sri Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar has done a good job.

“He has managed to get over two-third of the parliamentarians to agree in having MA63 to be a part of the federal constitution,” he said.

Wan Junaidi is Santubong incumbent but he will not be defending the seat in GE15

Lo said if elected as Stampin MP in GE15, he would fight for a greater autonomy in the operations of the state’s Public Works Department (JKR), Department of Irrigation and Drainage (DID) and Sarawak Rural Water Supply Department (JBALB).

“Although they are federal agencies, we don’t want the federal government to interfere with the running of these JKR, DID and JBALB agencies. All they need to do is to give us the money and don’t interfere with the operations,” he added.

Other cause that GPS would champion included seeking for a Sarawakian representation in the Inland Revenue Board’s (LHDN) board of directors to gauge an estimate of how much tax revenue is collected from Sarawak every year, he said.

Touching on the proposal to appoint a deputy prime minister from Sarawak, Lo said it would be a bonus if a Sarawakian can be appointed to the post but what is more important is for the state’s wealth to be returned to its people.

He also said the Stampin parliamentary constituency would enjoy bigger development allocation if GPS manages to wrest back the seat from DAP incumbent Chong Chieng Jen, who is also the party’s state chairman.