Opposition MP Dr Kelvin Yii has criticised a Sarawak assistant minister for threatening to withhold salaries from opposition-leaning community leaders.
State assistant minister II for Education, Innovation and Talent Development Francis Harden Hollis recently reminded Iban leaders in Sri Aman that GPS paid their allowances and salaries.
He reportedly remarked it was “awkward and absurd” for longhouse chiefs who opposed the state government to receive any payment.
In a statement today, Yii reminded Harden that it was taxpayers, in fact, that funded state coffers and subsequently community leader salaries.
It was thus an “insult”, he said, to demand government or political allegiance from such leaders.
“Their salary should not be used as ransom to control them as such funds are derived from taxpayers funds, not money from any political party.
“Fact of the matter (is) equal allocation should be given to everyone regardless (of whether) they are against or supporting the government.
“After all, funds and resources belong to the rakyat and for the rakyat. The people should not be punished for their choice of vote,” said the DAP Bandar Kuching MP.
Yii further criticised GPS for using longhouse chief salaries as a tool for “fear and control” in rural communities.
“Sadly, such toxic and oppressive political culture has been plaguing Sarawak all these years, where the state government uses their position to instil fear and control over the people, especially in the rural areas.
“Even when they have been left behind all these years even in the most basic of infrastructures,” he said.
Politically ‘vindictive’ comments
To rid communities of political control, Yii called for longhouse chiefs and tuai rumah to be elected instead of appointed by politicians.
“I call upon the people to reject such ‘old politics’ and demand for reforms, including equal allocations and more importantly, a proper election among the villagers for their tuai rumah and community leaders.
“When community leaders are politically appointed, politicians think they own them, and this must change,” he said.
Aside from Yii, opposition party Parti Bansa Dayak Sarawak Baru (PBDSB) also criticised Harden for his “politically vindictive” comments.
Speaking to The Borneo Post, PBDSB president Bobby William said community leaders have the democratic right to vote for who they wanted to.
He similarly pointed out that the state government was merely the custodian of rakyat-funded state coffers.
In the December 2021 Sarawak election, Harden narrowly retained his Simaggang seat with a 175-vote majority against PSB’s Wilson Entabang. This makes him a six-term assemblyperson.
Simanggang is one of the state seats in the Sri Aman parliamentary constituency, where Iban-Sarawakians are the majority ethnic group. - Mkini
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