THE weather in Kuching has been temperamental — hot and wet — with a lot of rain in the evening for almost every day last week.
It was the same last Sunday night, which perhaps, resulted in the delay of Pakatan Harapan’s “New Deal, New Hope” ceramah.
Its chairman, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, and his political-foe-turn-ally, DAP adviser Lim Kit Siang, were among opposition figures, who spoke during the event at the carpark compound of a shopping complex in the city.
Prior to the speech from the two leaders, Sarawak Pakatan chairman Chong Chieng Jen, who is also state DAP head, had unveiled five main “thrusts” of the opposition’s election manifesto for the next general election.
Dubbed as a “new deal” for Sarawak, the five thrusts included the opposition’s pledge to ensure equitable basic infrastructure and land development, as well as the right to quality education.
After Kit Siang concluded his speech, Dr Mahathir, clad in the red Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (PPBM) shirt and a matching cap, rose to the stage and addressed the crowd.
Apart from jabs at the country’s leadership and present government, the former prime minister also claimed that there were legislation passed by Parliament that were unfair to Sarawak and Sabah.
One of the laws mentioned in his speech was the Petroleum Development Act passed in 1974. He claimed the law did not take into account the interest of the people in Sarawak and Sabah since the composition of Yang Berhormat in Parliament was not balanced between the Peninsular and the East Malaysian states.
“The country is governed by the parliamentary system. As we all know, the number of members of parliament in Sarawak and Sabah are fewer compared with elected representatives from the Peninsular.
“When the Act (the Petroleum Development Act 1974) was passed, it did not reflect the true interest of the people in Sarawak and Sabah.
“And I was not even the prime minister yet when the law was passed,” the 92-year-old politician said.
He went on to broker promises, including Pakatan’s commitment to return and revive the state’s rights as stipulated in the Malaysia Agreement 1963 and the Federal Constitution.
Ironically, Dr Mahathir did not mention how he came to realise the so-called legislation were unfair to the people in Sarawak and Sabah. He also failed to elaborate why he did nothing to review the act and other legislation, which he deemed biased against the two East Malaysian states, during his 22-year-reign as Malaysia’s fourth prime minister.
“Why only now?” said Deputy Chief Minister and Parti Rakyat Sarawak president Tan Sri James Jemut Masing when he unleashed a broadside against the PPBM chairman.
Masing, known for being vocal about issues affecting Sarawak-ians, said he was baffled by Dr Mahathir’s silence over the Malaysia Agreement 1963 for more than two decades.
“Why didn’t he look into the matter when he had the power to do so?”
Sarawak United Peoples’ Party Youth chief Tan Kai said Dr Mahathir could have easily repealed the legislation that were deemed unfair to Sarawak and Sabah.
“I wish to remind him that during his time as prime minister, he commanded a two-thirds majority at all times.
“Hence, he could have easily repealed the law, which he thought was unfair to the state,” he said.
Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu supreme council member and Santubong MP Datuk Seri Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar also did not show any admiration towards the former prime minister.
Junaidi, who is the Natural Resources and Environment Minister, said Dr Mahathir’s presence in the state would not affect the people’s support for Barisan Nasional in Sarawak.
During the last general election, BN won 25 of the 31 parliamentary seats in Sarawak. DAP won five parliamentary seats while PKR has only one seat, which is the Miri parliamentary constituency.
Looking at the strong standing by the ruling coalition in the state, it is not a surprise to see the opposition selling promises to gain political mileage.
Sarawakians, however, are not a gullible lot.
Adib Povera, born in Kuala Lumpur, raised in Perak, is NST Sarawak bureau chief. A nature lover, he never tires of discovering new sights in the Land of