Egi Bangan King
KUCHING: Parti Bumi Kenyalang (PBK) aspiring candidate Egi Bangan King says that despite recent declaration that Sarawak has the greatest growth potential in Malaysia, it remains one of the poorest states in the nation.
Sarawak has been losing out in terms of development and is left far behind Peninsular Malaysia and has become the federal government’s cash cow, he said.
“It’s status has been unconstitutionally reduced to state and is given pittance out of the annual national budget allocation despite the fact that it is one of the biggest contributor to the nation’s coffer. So even if we have great potential it is obviously hampered,” he said in a statement yesterday.
Egi who is a strong proponent of Sarawak’s independence said Brunei and Singapore had made the right decision to withdraw from the formation of Malaysia. “Brunei which decided not to join the formation of Malaysia in 1963 and Singapore which exited from the Federation in 1965 are now among the richest countries in this region.
“But Sarawak blessed with great natural wealth far richer than Brunei and Singapore has turned into one of the poorest states in the Federation. This proves beyond any reasonable doubt that Sarawak can now exercise its option and right to come out from the Federation base on the statement recorded in the Borneo Times made by the First Prime Minister of Malaysia in 1963 which gave the assurance that both Sarawak and Sabah can leave Malaysia if they find that the Federation is not benefiting,” he added.
In affirming his view, Egi cited statements made by the Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg in a news portal in March 6, 2019 that Sarawak’s wealth is in Putrajaya and also by Deputy Chief Minister Tan Sri James Masing in a local newspaper on Oct 2, 2019 that Sarawak’s development is slow and hampered due to the fact that its oil and gas resources were taken by Malaya.
“Any responsible and accountable government after knowing the root cause of the problem would immediately focus on addressing the problem and not continuously beating around the bush in self denial.
“Besides being made poor, Sarawak is also affected by the continuous onslaught of racial and religious sentiment propagated in Malaya by those who put their political survival and agenda first and foremost at the expense of the nation we once thought would be a place where every citizen can be proud of,” he said.
Urging Sarawakians to decide to form a government “by the people for the people”, Egi called upon all “right minded and fair minded Sarawakians” to rally behind and support PBK whose sole objective is to quest for “Sarawak’s freedom from the Federation and Sarawak’s Independence”.
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