'Big BN Sarawak win would open floodgates on GST, new taxes'

A sweeping BN victory in Sarawak in the May 7 election will give the mandate to Prime Minister Najib Razak to hike taxes and enact other fund-raising policies nationwide to make up the shortfall in government revenue, charged DAP leader Lim Guan Eng.

Lim told Sarawakian voters that to support the state's chief minister Adenan Satem is to support Najib, who is beset by the financial scandal surrounding 1MDB.

"They ban us because they are afraid of only one thing, that DAP leaders will tell Sarawakians this one point, that is Adenan has supported, and will continue to support Najib," Lim told voters in Padungan, Kuching today, before making similar statements in Serian and Bau, two towns near the state's capital.

"He has said Najib is good for Sarawak. What has Najib given Sarawakians? Oh, we are not saying he has not given anything. Indeed he has given us something. The GST (goods and services tax)."

Lim said Najib, despite the public outcry over the taxes, may have no choice to but increase taxes to make a shortfall in government revenue: "If you don't want GST, you must send a message to Najib through this election. You have to reject and stand up and say no, that's why we do not support Barisan."

'Abuse of power'

Lim, who was in the state to assist prepping some of the state DAP's campaign machinery, said that the immigration restrictions are now worse under Adenan than under his predecessor, Abdul Taib Mahmud.

"It is a clear abuse of power. Even during the worst of Taib Mahmud's rule, nothing of this sort happened, where even state ministers, (state exco members) Abdul Malik Abul Kassim and Dr Afif Bahardin were prevented from coming in. They even banned one of us again, (DAP deputy secretary-general) Ngeh Koo Ham. I can't understand why they did that. He's the gentlest among us.

"Adenan does these things, which Taib has never done. He has abused his power when the stakes are low, and if he can abuse his power now, then his promises now really are not worth anything. He has already gone back and forth (regarding the state's BN relationship with Umno).

"He does not practice what he preaches, and if you give him absolute victory, you give him absolute power. Therefore we cannot give him absolute victory. We must at least deny him two-thirds majority,” said Lim, who delivered his speeches in English, Mandarin and Malay.

DAP will contest 29 seats, including 15 Dayak-majority seats. The party will field one Malay candidate, Abdul Aziz Isa, 26, who is the grandnephew of Taib.

Prior to the state assembly's dissolution, DAP controls 12 seats. -Mkini