GE14 | Being a part of the ruling administration in Sarawak, BN-SUPP could have restored the constitutional rights of the state under the Malaysian Agreement 1963 (MA63) long before the current general elections.

But instead, the current ruling party is bandying MA63 as a bait to induce Sarawakians to vote them in, so that all the rights under MA63 can be restored to the state.

“This not only an insult to the spirit of MA63, but also speaks volume on the lack of ‘political will’ by the BN coalition to restore the rights to the state and Sarawakians,” DAP candidate for Bandar Kuching, Dr Kelvin Yii told Malaysiakini today.

Yii who is also special assistant to Sarawak DAP chairperson, Chong Chieng Jen, said this in response to a recent statement by SUPP president, Dr Sim Kui Hian, who said: “May 9 means voting for Sarawak rights to be returned to the state and not about voting in Najib or Mahathir.”

“I would like to remind Dr Sim that the general election is a parliamentary election where the people vote for a new federal government and thus, also the prime minister.

“What is even more disappointing is that SUPP is now playing the racial card and instilling fear among Sarawak’s Chinese voters by saying that their voices will not be heard unless they vote for the Chinese-based SUPP party.

“If it is not about Mahathir, why was SUPP from the beginning demonising the former prime minister in an attempt to tarnish the image of the opposition alliance, Pakatan Harapan.

“These attempts only speak volumes of the party’s failure to speak out against the alleged wrongdoings of the former prime minister when he was in the government but only “resurrect” his shortcomings when he is now in the opposition.

He said if the major part of their campaign narrative is largely based on Sarawakian rights, why is there no “specifics” as to what has already been returned to the state under the MA63.

On the other hand, he said, Pakatan Harapan is strongly committed to restore the lost rights of the state, including the returning of our territorial status to one-third equal partners in the Federation of Malaysia, 20 percent oil royalty, the return of 50 percent of all taxes collected in Sarawak, autonomy in healthcare and education policies among others.