Resolutions adopted at DAP Sarawak convention

RESOLUTIONS OF 17^th DAP SARAWAK STATE ORDINARY CONVENTION

(8-11-2015)

1.       Reaffirm the “DAP 2014 Bintulu Declaration :  Towards Equal Partners”

(a)           EQUAL PARTNERS between Sarawak and West Malaysia

                        1.       To call upon the Federal Government to respect the true spirit of the formation of Malaysia that Malaysia is a secular state where freedom of religion shall be upheld at all time.

                        2.       To return to Sarawak 20% Oil and Gas Royalty and 50% of all tax revenue collected in Sarawak.

                        3.       To devolve full autonomous powers on education and health care as well as partial autonomous power over police matter to Sarawak.

                        4.       To create the post of Minister for Sarawak Affair who shall have the final decision on all Federal matters in relation to or affecting Sarawak.

                        5.       To grant the Chief Judge of Sabah and Sarawak the autonomous power in budgetary and administrative matters in relation to the judiciary in Sabah and Sarawak.

         DAP members holding posters with the words "Mana RM2.6 Billion?" at the conventoon.

 (b)           EQUAL PARTNERS amongst all Sarawakians

1.       To adhere to the principles of transparency, fairness and clean governance in all government administration by implementing open tenders of all government projects and alienation of State land

2.       To ensure transparency and accountability in the Government administration and to reduce corrupt practices and abuses by introducing the Freedom of Information Ordinance and appointing the Opposition State Assembly member as the Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC)

3.       To implement a fair and equitable land policy for all by guaranteeing the rights to renewal of land leases upon expiry, issuance of land titles to their Native Customary Right (NCR) land created based on their culture, traditional living and ADAT and introducing the Land-to-the-Tiller policy.

4.       To implement the “Home Ownership Scheme” by building sufficient good quality and reasonably priced 3-bedroom housing flats for the middle and low income earners and implement the “rent to own” policy.

5.       To reform and uplift the public transport system in Kuching, Miri, Bintulu and Sibu and thereafter to provide FREE public bus services to the public in the first 5 years of its implementation.

6.       To manage our natural environment and resources in a sustainable manner.

7.       To adopt an inclusive and diverse education system by

(a)      funding the vernacular schools;

(b)      reviving the mission schools with English as the medium of teaching;

(c)      giving official recognition to certificates issued by Examination Boards which are of international standards; and

(d)      awarding scholarship based on meritocracy and principles of social justice.

8.       To restore local government elections.

9.       To set up a RM1 billion Dayak Endowment Fund to uplift the education level and commercial activities of the Dayak communities.

10.     To put in place the Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission (IPCMC) to ensure a professional, clean and efficient police force to combat crimes and provide security to the people.

2.         Call on Sarawak Barisan Nasional (BN) to withdraw from the national BN in order that the rights of Sarawak be respected by the Federal Government.

Reason:  1.       Though BN Sarawak has the number of Members of Parliament to tilt the balance of power at Federal level, the demands of Sarawak BN continues to be ignored, eg. the 20% oil and gas royalty, autonomy in education, recognition of UEC for university, a fairer budgetary allocation for Sarawak.  Even for the 2016 Budget, allocation for Sarawak remains grossly insufficient and disproportionate to its population or land mass in Malaysia.

              2.       Sarawak BN, inside the national BN organisation, has no say in the national policy-making process.  It is only if Sarawak BN is independent of the national BN that the former will not be taken for granted.  Under such circumstances, the federal government will then have to seek the prior consent from the Sarawak BN before it can make any decision affecting Sarawak, including the tabling of the annual budget in Parliament.

              3.       For the past 52 years, Sarawak has been marginalised by the BN Government.  Such marginalisation will continue so long as BN has a comfortable majority in Parliament.

              4.       The 1MDB and RM2.6 billion scandals have destroyed the credibility of 4 major institutions in Malaysia, ie. the Bank Negara, the Parliament (Public Accounts Committee), the Attorney-General’s Chamber and the Malaysia Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC). Adenan should not continue to support the Federal BN Government.

              5.       With Sarawak BN’s continued support, Najib will prolong his premiership, thereby doing more damage to the country’s economy.

3.         Call on the State Government to allocate RM500 million to set up State-owned private schools with English as the medium of teaching and charging NO SCHOOL FEES on the Students.

Reason:  1.       There is no question about the importance of English language.  Our children must master the language in order to compete globally.  Therefore, the State Government should provide our children the opportunity to learn English as soon as possible.

              2.       Though Adenan has repeatedly called for the devolution of power in Education to the State, like the 20% oil and gas royalty, it seems infinitely far away.  Instead of waiting in vain, the State Government should take the lead by setting up pioneer badge of English medium schools.

              3.       The existence of these English medium schools will expedite the Federal Government’s devolution of power in education to the State.

4.         Call on the State Government to recognise the Unified Examination Certificate (UEC) without the requirement of Credit in SPM Bahasa Melaysia.

Reason：1.       Sarawak State Government has the absolute power in the recruitment and employment of State civil servants.  Since the State Government intends to recognise the UEC and that UEC includes a subject in Bahasa Malaysia, there is thus no need for the added requirement of Credit in SPM Bahasa Malaysia.

              2.       The universities overseas recognise UEC without any added requirement of Credit in SPM Bahasa Malaysia.

5.         Call on the State Government to confiscate and take back land which has been sold to the BN cronies at grossly under-valued prices

Reason：1.       The previous administration has alienated hundreds of thousand acres of State land to Sarawak BN’s cronies companies at grossly under-valued prices.  This has indirectly caused the loss in the Billions of Ringgit to the State’s coffer.

              2.       It has also resulted in unbalanced economic development in the State where the rich become richer and the poor become poorer.

              3.      If Adenan truly wants to promote clean and good governance, he cannot shut his eyes on such rampant cronyism, otherwise, he will be seen as a mere puppet of the previous Chief Minister.

6.         Call on the State Government to reduce the number of foreign labour in the state, so as to improve the pay to the local labourers.

Reason：1.       At present, there are 150,000 foreign, 70,000 are in plantation and 30,000 as factory workers.  The presence of such big number of foreign workers suppress the salary of labourers in the State, and render it impossible for Sarawak to attain high-income society status.  Many locals have to travel to West Malaysia to work as factory workers.

              2.       The Government’s policy to allow such large number of foreign workers to work in the plantation of Sarawak will facilitate the exploitation of the Native Customary Right (NCR) land of the Dayaks. 

7.         Call on the Federal Government to reduce the GST rate to 0%.

Reason：1.       We are facing economic downturn and inflation.  The introduction of GST at this point in time will add on to the costs of business and also make lives harder for the ordinary people.

              2.       The 2 pre-requisite for the implementation of GST are:

                        (a)         majority of the people pay income tax; and

                        (b)         a transparent and good governance.

                        90% of Malaysia’s workforce does not pay tax, because their salary has not reached the taxable bracket.  With the 1MDB and RM2.6 billion scandals remain unsolved, BN Government does note have the moral ground to make everyone pay tax.

8.         Call on the Federal Government to stop sending West Malaysian Ustaz to schools in Sarawak where non-Muslims form the great majority of the students.

Reason：  The recent incidence where an ustaz was sent to be the principal of a rural school is seen as the BN’s islamisation program in Sarawak.  This will destroy the racial harmony in Sarawak.

9.         Call on the State Government to set up a Dayak Cultural and Heritage Centre, to preserve and study the Dayak’s tradition and culture.

Reason：  Dayak is the largest race in Sarawak and Borneo is the only place in the world with Dayak race.  The Dayak’s tradition and culture will be lost if there is no systematic preservation of such tradition and culture.