Chong to Fed Govt: Address the sentiment of Sarawakians of being unfairly treated

KUCHING, Oct 15, 2014: Bandar Kuching Member of Parliament Chong Chieng Jen said that the Federal Government must address the sentiment of Sarawakians of being unfairly treated which has resulted in movements like Sarawak for Sarawakians and Sarawak Sovereignty Movement to crop up.

"The best and most appropriate solution to the problem is to address the concerns raised by Sarawakian, one of which is to return to Sarawak, the 20% oil and gas royalties demanded by the Sarawak State Legislative Assembly.

"Let Sarawak decides on its own (destiny), how to develop the Sarawak," he said when taking part in the debate in Parliament yesterday.

Chong (picture), who is also the Sarawak DAP chairman, said that the refusal by the Federal Government to accede to the 20% oil and gas royalties demand will only worsen feeling of Sarawak being unfairly treated.

"All the sweet talk by Prime Minister Najib about increasing the allocation for Sarawak is only hot air because when we look at the 2015 Budget, we do not see Sarawak getting more allocation," he said.

Chong likened Sarawak's complaints of being unfairly treated to those made by Scotland.

"The main reason underlying the conflict between England and Scotland which resulted in the referendum movement (in Scotland) is the general perception that Scotland has been unfairly treated in the British Government and that Scotland will be better off as an independent country.

"This is very similar to the present situation between Sarawak and Sabah on the one hand and Malaya on the other hand. 

"Most Sarawakians have rightfully perceived that Sarawak has been short-changed and unfairly treated by the Federal Government," he said.

He cited:" When Malayans are complaining about traffic jams, we in Sarawak are complaining that we do not even have roads to many of our villages and longhouses. 

"When Malayans are complaining that the Monorail, LRT, Komuter KTM cannot cater to the demand of the people in KL and the Federal Government allocated RM50 billion for a new MRT system, all the major cities in Sarawak still do not have a proper public transport system.

"When the Federal Government, last year, paid a toll company RM400 million so as not to increase the toll rate, in the name of easing the burden of the people in Malaya in their daily transport, the Government did nothing for the people in Sarawak," he said.

Chong, who is also Kota Sentosa State Assemblyman, urged the Federal Government to look at the manner in which the British Government handled the conflict with Scotland.

"Instead of using oppressive laws like the Seditious Act to suppress the dissidents, the British Government used the most democratic way to resolve the conflict, that is, to let the people decide through a referendum.

"At the end of the day, British is kept united and intact, in the most peaceful and convincing way, unlike the trouble of the Northern Ireland, 30 years of violence whereby more than 3000 lives are lost and tens of thousands injured," he said.

Chong asked:"How is the Federal Government going to address this sentiment of Sarawakians.  Is the Federal Government going to suppress the feelings by resorting to the Sedition Act? Is the Government going to allow for a referendum to be held in Sarawak, like the Scottish Referendum?"