Adenan's u-turn is a shame and a disappointment

By Chong Chieng Jen,

Sarawak DAP chairman

Chief Minister Adenan Satem’s sudden u-turn in not tabling a motion seeking the endorsement of the State Assembly for an amendment of the Federal Constitution is a slap of his own face.

It is a shame and great disappointment that the Chief Minister, having spoken so much on the need for the restoration of Sarawak’s rights and position in Malaysia, now retracted on his earlier decision to table a motion in DUN Sarawak for that matter.

The reason given by Adenan on his sudden u-turn is that he saw the sincerity in Prime Minister Najib Razak to accede to Sarawak’s demands. 

However, this reason given by Adenan is just an excuse to cover up for his failure to fight for the equal rights for Sarawak and the reluctance of the BN Government to restore Sarawak to its 1963 Constitutional position.

What “sincerity” has Najib shown Sarawak in his speech in Sabah which mere talk only, but no action?

I wish to remind Adenan of his speech on 22nd July, 2016 in the Sarawak’s Independence Day celebration when he said:

“But over the last 53 years, there have been constant erosion of powers given to us originally by the federal government, but now we are reclaiming what are ours.”

I wish also to remind Adenan that, out of the past 53 years which he complained about Federal Government eroding Sarawak’s powers, Najib was the Prime Minister for the last 6 years, and thus has been guilty of eroding Sarawak’s rights for at least a period of 6 years.

Furthermore, I would list out five recent examples under the tenure of Najib as prime minister and Adenan as Chief Minister of Sarawak whereby Sarawak’s rights and interests continued to be neglected by the Federal Government.

1.            In the reply of the Finance Minister on 11-7-2016, the Second Finance Minister informed the Parliament that approximately only 5% of the total budgetary allocation is allocated for Sarawak in 2015;

2.            In the 2017 Budget, for the Development Expenditure for building roads and bridges, a sum of RM4,092 million was allocated for Peninsular Malaysia, RM494 million for Sabah and only a mere RM299 million for Sarawak.  Sarawak got only a mere 6% of the total development expenditure for roads and bridges.

3.            Even for the Pan Borneo Highway which is under the Prime Minister’s department, the total allocation for 2017 was only RM1.5 billion to be shared by Sabah and Sarawak for 2017.  This pale in comparison to the RM50 billion MRT project, the RM55 billion ECRL project and other mega projects in Peninsular Malaysia.

4.            In 2016, the Federal Mineral and Geosains Department introduced a new policy whereby permits from the Department are required for the exportation of sand, stones and clay from Sarawak and royalties are charged for every ton of the exports.  Previously, exportation of sand, stone and clay are under the sole jurisdiction of the State government.

5.            The Sarawak DUN’s resolution on 20% oil and gas royalties passed in May, 2014 is totally ignored by the Federal Government 

In addition, there is also no response by the Federal Government to Adenan’s condemnation of the national education policy which Adenan has dubbed as “stupid”.

With all these glaring instances of the continuous exploitation and mistreatment of Sarawak by Najib’s administration, it is impossible to see any “sincerity in Najib” to treat Sarawak as equal partner of Semenanjung Malaysia.

Therefor it is a mere excuse for Adenan to get out of another motion which ultimately will bring more embarrassment to himself rather than any positive outcome, like the 20% oil and gas royalties motion.

It is also to be noted that before the Sarawak State elections, Adenan could move motion after motion in Sarawak DUN.  Now that the Sarawak State elections are over, despite having a bigger mandate, Sarawak Government could not even move a motion on the relationship between the Federal Government and Sarawak and any proposal for such motion is now forced to be withdrawn.

As time passes by and things begin to unfold, it shows that Adenan is no better than his predecessors in terms of Sarawak’s position and interests in the Federation. 

Sarawak’s interest will continue to be neglected by the BN Government.  Only difference between Adenan and his predecessors is that Adenan talks big, but no action.-November 17, 2016