Speech By DAP Secretary-General And MP For Bagan Lim Guan Eng During The Final Day of Campaigning In Sibu On 15.4.2011.
Pakatan Rakyat’s vision for Sarawak is to provide free wifi in population centers, wipe out hard-core poverty, implement open tenders for government contracts and land sales, give state land back to the people, establish institutionalised yearly allocations for schools, provide infrastructure of electricity and roads, abolish unfair bridge tolls and give all senior citizens RM 600 annually.
There will be zero corruption in Sarawak. An open tender system will ensure that only those that offer the best price, best quality and with the necessary experience and track record be chosen. All will be treated fairly regardless of race, religion, gender or political background.
For instance it is ridiculous that the building of the Lanang Bridge in Sibu was done without an open tender. Funded through exchange of land, the RM10 2-way toll for the 1.2 km bridge is even higher than the RM7 toll for the 13.5 km Penang Bridge. Since Penang Bridge is 11 times longer, based on the RM7 Penang bridge toll, the Lanang Bridge toll should only be 60 cents not the present RM10. Collecting 60 cents is insignificant, if PR wins power the Lanang Bridge toll will be abolished.
These are the major initiatives that any good government should carry out. One of the most important issues is the land grab by the BN government, especially the anger amongst the natives whose land has been deprived and the urban population having to pay high land premium for lease renewals. PR detects a strong mood for change even amongst Dayaks,many who are victimised by BN Sarawak government’s land grab. I met Dayaks who have been arrested and sent to police lock-ups just for defending their land.
A people-centric land policy should be implemented where all elected representatives, Ministers and Chief Minister and their children are not allowed to apply for government land. All low-cost houses will also be given freehold title free of charge. And no land will be taken for private purpose but only for public purpose like building schools, roads and hospitals. All this has been done by the PR state government in Penang.
Sarawak deserves better. Make Sarawak Cleaner, Greener, Safer And Fairer!
Tan Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud Should Redeem Himself To Sarawakians By Convincing Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak To Increase The Annual Royalties For Oil And Gas From 5% To 20% Or RM 1.5 Billion To RM 6 Billion A Year.
Sarawak Chief Minister Tan Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud should insist that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak increase the annual royalties for oil and gas from 5% to 20%. This would allow Sarawak to increase its royalties from the present RM1.5 billion annually to RM6 billion.
As the Prime Minister is here for a week to campaign for BN in the Sarawak general elections, Tan Sri Taib should take the opportunity to boldly tell him that Sarawak should enjoy a fairer share of the state’s resources. Now is the time to prove that Najib’s assurances ring true that Sarawak BN has his ear and close attention that the Federal government would act on all requests from the BN Sarawak.
What better occasion to fully utilise this opportunity than to demand that the oil and gas royalties for Sarawak be increased from 5% to 20% to reward Sarawakians for their loyalty to BN as a BN fixed deposit state. At the same time, Taib should take the opportunity to redeem himself for his failures in 30 years in power by offering something tangible for Sarawak. The time has come for Tan Sri Taib to prove that he dare to fight for Sarawak’s rights with the Federal government.
With RM 6 billion, Sarawak can enjoy many benefits. Apart from the RM1 billion annual allocation to the Dayak Endowment Fund to help uplift the Dayaks and other native communities and include them into the economic mainstream; provide the best infrastructure in the state; provide free wifis for all the major population centers; and Sarawak can be the first state not only to wipe out hard-core poverty but also poverty in Malaysia.
LIM GUAN ENG