Kuching, Sept 19, 2012: The Kuching Declaration signed on Malaysia Day on Sept 16 by Pakatan Rakyat (PR) top leaders cannot be equated as a Sarawak for Sarawakians slogan.
“No, it is not. Though a lot of people are talking about Sarawak for Sarawakians, it is not the spirit of the Declaration.
“If you talk about Sarawak for Sarawakians spirit, then of course we will be asking 100 % oil royalty, but we are not.
“We recognise that we are in the Federation of Malaysia and that is what we are realising and this is what we are asking Kuala Lumpur to realise as well.
“The Federation has been formed with an agreement of 1963, and what we are merely saying is that “go back to the agreement” and “go back to the basic foundations of that agreement…the spirit of the formation of Malaysia, and that is what we are saying,” he said.
Baru said Sarawak Barisan leaders should support, not oppose, the Declaration.
“If PR comes to power (in the upcoming general election), they, being Sarawakians, will also benefit.
“There is no reason why they should not support, not keeping quiet, but support it openly,” he said, adding:”Unless they think that we are very developed state in Malaysia.”
“If they say that we are equal in everything to Peninsular Malaysia, then it is up to Sarawakians to judge,” he said.
In any case, he said that the Declaration is not for the Barisan Nasional to say “yes or no”, but for the Sarawakians, Sabahans and Malaysians to consider.
“They are the ones who finally decide…whether it is rubbish, unrealistic, not true, we will leave it to Sarawakians, Sabahans and Malaysians to decide,” he said, adding:”It is not the Barisan leaders to decide.”
Baru expressed hope that the civil servants are happy with the Declaration.
“But I think the question of whether they are happy or not, should be posed to them personally and see if they are willing to answer that question.
“We are fighting for their positions as well,” he said.
Baru denied that the Declaration is to sow the seeds of discontentment and pit the people of Sarawak and Sabah against the people of Peninsular Malaysia.
“There is no truth in the claims, and we are leaving it to the Sarawakians and Sabahans to judge the Declaration,” he said, denying allegations by State BN leaders that PR leaders, by signing the Declaration, were sowing the seeds of discontentment and pitting the people of Sarawak and Sabah against fellow Malaysians in Peninsular Malaysia.
“As far as I am concerned, the dissatisfactions started some 49 years ago when Sarawak and Sabah joined and formed the Federation of Malaysia with Malaya and Singapore.
“Based on the people’s experiences and what they know personally, they can judge whether we are on par with Peninsular Malaysia in terms of development and infrastructure and whether it is fair that we should receive 5 % royalty from oil and gas from Petronas,” he said.
“The latest statistics shows that Sarawak and Sabah are far behind in terms of overall development. The two states are among the poorest in the country,” he added.
“Therefore, it is not true that Pakatan Rakyat is sowing the seeds of discontentment, and I believe that the truth is coming out and it is obvious that the Malaysian Agreement of 1963 has not be honoured,” he said
“We hear you (on the discontentment) and we are taking this up and we will do what we can in accordance and in consistence with the desires of our forefathers and in line with the agreement signed in 1963,” he said.
He said that over the last 49 years, the people of Sarawak and Sabah have been complaining that they have been unfavourably treated.
“That is the issue here,” he said, adding:”But, of course, the Barisan leaders, including Chief Minister Tan Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud, are saying that we are moving fast .
“That, by itself, is an admission that we are actually lagging behind all these years.
“In fact, we are complaining not only in development itself, but also in the Borneonisation of the civil service, schools, clinics and other basic infrastructure, clean water and electricity in the rural areas.
“How many percent of the rural areas have been lighted or provided with clean water?”
On claims that the Declaration was unrealistic and that Sarawak had already enjoyed a wide range of autonomy and total commitment of the federal government towards its development, Baru said that the PR government had the political will to execute what was being promised in the declaration.
“The seven Articles in the declarion are not difficult to carry out, just give us the mandate to be the government of the day and we can prove to you that in the first term of five years, what we have promised and what have been the aspirations of Sarawakians and Sabahans, will be executed and fulfilled,” he said.
ARTICLE ONE: EQUAL PARTNERS
We will restore the spirit of the Malaysia Agreement and the position of Sarawak and Sabah as equal partners within Malaysia by restoring autonomy to Sarawak and Sabah within the framework of the Federal Constitution.
ARTICLE TWO: FAIR REPRESENTATION
We will increase national integration between Sarawak, Sabah and Peninsular Malaysia through a fair power-sharing arrangement that fully upholds the spirit of the Malaysia Agreement.
ARTICLE THREE: CITIZENSHIP
We will set up a Royal Commission to solve the perennial national problem of illegal immigration and citizenship, particularly in Sarawak and Sabah.
ARTICLE FOUR: RESTORATION OF NATIVE CUSTOMARY RIGHTS OVER LAND
We will endorse the authority already vested in the State Laws of Sarawak and Sabah to set up Land Commissions to investigate, resolve disputes, redress, survey and restore Native Customary Rights over Native Customary Lands.
ARTICLE FIVE: COMPETENT SARAWAK AND SABAH
We will endorse the appointment of Sarawak and Sabah citizens to head Government Departments in their own respective States and by the powers vested in the State Secretaries of both States as well as give first priority to the appointment of Sarawak and Sabah citizens at Federal Government level functioning within Sarawak and Sabah.
ARTICLE SIX: OIL JUSTICE
We will raise the royalties paid on petroleum and hydrocarbon resources to Sarawak and Sabah to 20% from the present 5%.
ARTICLE SEVEN: EQUITABLE DEVELOPMENT
We will bring the level of infrastructure development in Sarawak and Sabah up to par with Peninsular Malaysia.
