GPS has failed to protect state’s rights, says Sarawak party PBK

Parti Bumi Kenyalang (PBK) president Voon Lee Shan.

KUCHING: Parti Bumi Kenyalang (PBK) has described the Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) government as “weak” in warding off “Malaya’s encroachment” into Sarawak.

Its president, Voon Lee Shan, said GPS was formerly known as the Sarawak Barisan Nasional (BN) and it had no desire to see Sarawak become independent.

“GPS’ fight for autonomy will not see Sarawak’s rights protected or any right taken back,” he said at a press conference here today.

He said being with Peninsular Malaysia would cost Sarawak continued loss of its rights, including the way the issue of the stateless was handled.

“We are suspicious that foreigners can apply for identity cards (ICs) directly from Malaya and they (Malaya) can simply issue them the ICs,” he said.

In recent years, he said the “economic imperialism” of Peninsular Malaysia had not only seen Sarawak lose its marine wealth, oil and gas rights and native lands to mega-companies from the peninsula, “but also huge pieces of our state land to the federal government”.

Voon declared that PBK would not work with Pakatan Harapan or GPS in the forthcoming state election.

He said unlike GPS, PBK wanted full independence for Sarawak, not just autonomy.

“There is also no way PBK will work with PH or any political party from Malaya. The Sarawak DAP and PKR are a letdown to Sarawak and they are not able to preserve Sarawak’s rights,” he said.

He said PBK would also not work with Parti Sarawak Bersatu (PSB) even though it was a local party.

“We are unsure of the direction this party is heading at the moment.”

He said he feared that Sarawak would further lose its rights and resources if PH or PSB, or both these parties, were to take over the state government. - FMT