KUCHING: A Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) leader has chided Sarawak DAP chairman Chong Chieng Jen for defending Lim Guan Eng over a remark by Chief Minister Abang Johari Openg.
PBB vice-president Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah said Abang Johari’s remark was “fair” and that Chong should act more like a Sarawakian.
On Saturday, Abang Johari had said an insulting remark by Lim was the reason for Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS), the ruling coalition in Sarawak, preferring to back PAS and Umno in forming the federal government.
Lim, who is DAP secretary-general, was alleged to have said, while he was finance minister in the previous federal government, that Sarawak might go bankrupt in three years under GPS.
Karim said today that Abang Johari, just like any other Sarawakian, was insulted by Lim who had insinuated that the state’s leaders were not capable of managing the state wisely.
“Lim’s remarks in Sarawak that the state would go bankrupt in three years was an insult to all Sarawakians.
“Three years have passed and instead of going bankrupt, Sarawak is getting more vibrant economically with more development and money in its coffers. So what is Chong grumbling about?
“He (Chong) should not blindly support his Malaya leaders. Instead, he should look around.
“Sarawak has managed to secure the 5% sales tax from Petronas. This is something which Lim and Chong claimed to be impossible during the reign of the Pakatan Harapan (PH) government. They claimed that it would ‘bleed’ Petronas and Malaysia. So, who is telling the truth now?,” he told FMT.
Karim urged Chong to “have some heart for Sarawak” and not to be a traitor to the state.
“Before the (2018) 14th general election, we had seen videos of Lim and Chong telling Sarawakians about the state’s diminished rights after forming Malaysia and their support to give the state 20% oil royalty and to return 50% of the tax revenue collected from Sarawak.
“This was even documented in their election manifesto then but after GE14 and Lim becoming the minister of finance, he had fiercely objected to all the promises,” he said.
Karim asked: “Was it wrong for Abang Johari to say he was insulted by these ‘forked-tongue leaders’?”
On Sunday, it was reported that Chong had urged Abang Johari not to put the future of Sarawak and Malaysia in jeopardy because of his personal feelings against Lim.
According to Chong, GPS’ support for the PAS-Umno alliance had resulted in a resurgence of religious conservatism and bigotry.
He suggested that Lim’s remark be viewed as a warning against the extravagance of GPS in proposing mega projects.
“Though Abang Jo is constantly bragging about Sarawak’s RM31 billion reserves, he did not highlight the multi-billion ringgit debts of state government companies,” Chong had said.
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