The opposition alliance Barisan Bersatu Sarawak (BBS) vows to limit the tenure of the state chief minister's post and will empower land owners with their customary rights in the event it receives the mandate to rule the state during the coming state elections.

In its manifesto, the alliance - which comprises the Sarawak National Action Party (Snap), the yet-to-be registered Malaysian Dayak Congress (MDC) and Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR)- focussed on local grouses and problems with promises for reform.

The alliance said its mission is 'to build a new Sarawak' and to ensure justice, freedom, equality, and a fair distribution of wealth for all irrespective of race, culture, creed or religion.

PKR vice-president Azmin Ali when met today said all three parties had worked hard for the past six months to draw up an election blueprint and had held a series of consultations and workshops with professional groups, non-governmental organisations and civil society bodies.

"We have considered the feedback and put the manifesto together. We have printed copies in three languages, Malay, Chinese and Iban and will soon distribute them to all 71 constituencies," he said, adding the manifesto will be officially launched in Kuching tomorrow morning.

Tenure to be limited

Elaborating on the manifesto's points, Azmin who is Keadilan's election director, said the issues it raised were close to the hearts of all Sarawakians.

"We recognise their problems and we want to make things better and the manifesto shows just how serious our Sarawak leaders are," he said.

A highlight of the manifesto, a copy which was made available to malaysiakini, was the promise that the alliance will address the numerous protests by Sarawakians on the unlimited tenure allowed for the chief minister's post which has permitted chief minister Abdul Taib Mahmud to rule for the past 25 years.

As part of an overall strategy to prevent corruption and abuse of power by those entrusted to hold that position, it proposes to limit the tenure of the state's leadership post to a maximum of 10 years.

It also promises to restructure the state civil service with the objective of ensuring optimum transparency and accountability in the running of the state's administration.

On land issues, the manifesto pledges to amend the Sarawak Land Code to upgrade native customary rights by awarding qualified land owners titles to their land while all residential leases will be converted to grants in perpetuity.

Oil royalties

It will also introduce a smart partnership policy to ensure all participation in land-based development will be for the maximum benefit of land-owners and financiers alike.

Land issues have long been a thorn for Sarawak natives who claim that their land - which not only houses their homes but also their crops- have been forcefully taken away by the state government for development purposes and oil palm plantations.

The alliance's manifesto also said it would review and renegotiate existing agreements between the petroleum industry and the federal government to enable the state to have greater share and control of this natural resource.

It also aimed to review existing policies and practises relating to the issuance of timber licenses to ensure that maximum benefit is for the state government instead of 'undeserving politically- connected individuals'.

On housing, the alliance said it will increase the production of comfortable low-cost and medium-cost houses for the poor by adopting a 'one house, one family' policy.

'Development a right'

Other key pledges made in the manifesto include:

  • to repeal all unjust laws and amend the 'interpretation ordinance' in order to reinstate the Dayak races as natives of Sarawak

  • to introduce financial aid by the state government and its agencies to deserving students and to enhance the textbook assistance scheme in order to benefit a greater majority of the middle and lower income groups.

  • to provide annual state grants to all religious, mission and Chinese-medium schools in recognition of their century-long contribution to education in Sarawak.

  • to negotiate for a sufficient placement of local students in all institutions of higher learning in Sarawak and to give deserving Sarawak students an opportunity for overseas education and training irrespective of race, culture, creed or religion.

  • a commitment to eradicate rural and urban poverty and to narrow the economic gap between the rich and the poor by way of expanding the economic cake and ensuring a fair and equitable distribution of business and job opportunities.

  • to establish roads, basic infrastructure and amenities for every village in Sarawak as 'development is a right, not a privilege'.