Kulai MP Teo Nie Ching has taken issue with Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob for linking future development in Sarawak with support for an administration that is agreeable to his federal government.
"It is utterly inexcusable and unforgivable for Ismail Sabri to threaten Sarawak voters that many projects may not be implemented if they make the wrong choice by voting a state administration that is different from the central government.
"Ismail Sabri’s implicit message is obvious - that is if ‘you don’t help me, I don’t help you’, which is worse than Najib Abdul Razak’s ‘you help me, I help you’ which was infamously used in the Sibu parliamentary by-election in May 2010.
"From 2010 to 2021, how much longer do Malaysians, especially Sarawakians have to face this type of threats and intimidations?" asked Teo in a statement today.
The former deputy education minister questioned how Ismail Sabri could claim to be prime minister for a “Keluarga Malaysia” while trying to sell this narrative to the people of Sarawak.
"What Ismail Sabri said yesterday was offensive and obnoxious as it runs afoul of his own ‘Keluarga Malaysia’ slogan.
"Is Ismail Sabri saying and admitting that he has not been fair and even-handed in Budget 2022 and 12th Malaysian Plan towards Penang, Selangor and Negeri Sembilan as these states have state administrations that are different from the central government?" she asked.
Yesterday, Ismail Sabri said the people of Sarawak need to make the right choice in the 12th state election to maintain good relations between the state and federal governments.
According to him, good ties are important to facilitate dealings between the two governments especially in implementing development for Sarawak residents.
Citing the example of the Second Sungai Yong Bridge costing RM12.6 million located about 15km from Kapit, Ismail Sabri said it would not be implemented if the two governments have a different focus.
Teo called on Ismail Sabri to retract and apologise for his statement or else it would be evident to one and all that “Keluarga Malaysia” is merely an empty slogan.
"What we have in Malaysia under Ismail Sabri’s administration is ‘Keluarga Ismail Sabri and his gang’,” added Teo.
'Blackmail shouldn't be part of the family'
Teo's party colleague P Ramasamy said he was disappointed that the prime minister appeared to be blackmailing “family members” in Sarawak.
"I would have expected him to have promoted the family concept in allowing the Sarawakians to vote according to their conscience.
"He shouldn’t show his shallowness by asking them to vote for the political parties that have a sound working relationship with the federal government. This is not democracy and not even what a big family should do," said Ramasamy, who is Penang deputy chief minister.
He said Ismail Sabri has instead invoked the infamous and familiar threat that the federal government might not continue with the planned projects in Sarawak if the unfriendly political parties are voted to manage the state.
"Ismail Sabri even promoted this concept at the international level but it's a feeble attempt to cobble up an effective administration.
"His few months in office have been marred by allowing criminals to walk free in the corridors of power, presenting a budget that was racist in nature, shamelessly surviving on the basis of a memorandum of understanding with the opposition and not the least wasting public resources by appointing special envoys and special advisers.
"And now, even before constitutional amendments could be passed to restore the lost rights of Sabah and Sarawak under the MA1963, Ismail Sabri is throwing the spanner in the works with these outright threats and blackmail," he added. - Mkini
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.