SIBU, Feb 15 — State DAP political education director Irene Chang hopes the legal reinstatement of equal partnership of Sarawak in the Federal Constitution will not remain in name only.
She said what the people want is to see focus and priority to be given on how to elevate the well-being, standard of living and the overall development of the people which comes with the change of status for Sarawak.
“Tangible benefits from the reinstatement of Sarawak should be directly felt and enjoyed by the people,” she added in a media statement.
Sadly, Chang pointed out, the Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) state government’s first act after the reinstatement of Sarawak’s status in the Federal Constitution was to seek an amendment to the State Constitution to rename the chief minister and the assistant ministers in the coming State Legislative Assembly (DUN) sitting.
“The coming DUN sitting has only been fixed for three days with five bills to be tabled. Time is therefore so constrained that even question time by the elected representatives has been put aside.
“And yet, the GPS government has made it their priority to amend the State Constitution to rename the post of the chief minister and the assistant ministers,” she said.
The former Bukit Assek assemblywoman said questions now loom as to what tangible and real benefits can be brought to the people of Sarawak with the change of the name of the posts which seem to, “on the face of it, only enhance the status of the CM and Assistant Ministers”.
“Or with the change of name, would there be a redefinition of powers of the office of the chief minister to the office of premier and the assistant ministers to deputy ministers so as to bring these tangible and real benefits to Sarawakians?”
Instead, Chang said a bill should be tabled to demand the federal government to urgently review our special grants under Article 112D of the Federal Constitution.
“This grant was never reviewed from 1969 until when the PH government increased it from RM16 million to RM32 million for Budget 2020 but which was again reduced to RM16 million in Budget 2021 by the PN government.”
She said people also want to see a show of muscles by the state government to remain firm and committed to the 18 points agreement for the formation of Malaysia.
Over the years, she said much of these rights have not been zealously defended and protected by the state leaders and hence have seen the erosion of these rights.
“A bill should be tabled for the return of education autonomy to the state as it was in point 15 of the 18 points that education system of Borneo should be maintained and hence should remain under the state control.”
Chang said it has long been acknowledged that Sarawakians are not happy with how the federal government has performed in the area of education in Sarawak.
Besides the physical lack as in dilapidated schools, lack of facilities and funds, she said Sarawakians are not happy with how the syllabuses are often tainted with religious and race issues.
Commenting further, Chang said a bill to push for the executive authority over healthcare to be decentralised and transferred to Sarawak should also be tabled.
“This matter has long been acknowledged to be dismally performed by the federal government, so much so that many of our hospitals suffer from lack of specialist care, medical facilities and equipment.”
With Sarawak now being supposedly clothed with the authority of an equal partner, Chang said GPS government should therefore get their focus right to ensure that they put right and return to the people in all areas where they have been short changed by the federal government for so many years.
“They should therefore table more of these urgent bills in this very short DUN sitting which can give their MPs in Parliament the authority to reinforce the 18 points and to also seek more financial and other tangible benefits for the people in this coming Parliamentary sitting which commences on 28th February.
“If there is no redefinition of the powers of new posts, then rebranding of these posts can come at the time when DUN can sit for a longer session as the real benefits to the people from the reinstatement of the equal partnership depends on the exercise of these rights rather than on the renaming of our state leaders.” — Borneo Post
