Media Statement by Wong Ho Leng in Sibu on Thursday, 6^th May 2010:

BN indulges cronies, PR adopts transparency in governance

Sarawak is the biggest state in Malaysia and is blessed with natural resources. However, Sarawakians have been living in poverty. In 2009, the revenue of Sarawak amounted to RM3.726 billion, but 70% of longhouse residents still have no access to electricity, treated water supply or proper roads. These not only proves that BN’s "politics of development" has failed over the last 29 years, but also shows that the rights and the public interest of Sarawakians have been neglected and ignored.

Sarawak's development has been stunted and practically non-existent, as it has been dominated by one family. Politics and the economy in Sarawak are tightly controlled by the family of the Chief Minister Taib Mahmud.

In contrast, ever since the Pakatan Rakyat state governments took power on 8 March 2008, we have made integrity and CAT (Competency, Accountability and Transparency) the hallmarks of our system of governance. In Pakatan Rakyat states, we fight corruption and incompetence with vigour!

For example, the Bukit Jambul Golf & Country Club (BJCC) is now managed by Island Golf Properties Bhd (IGP), a subsidiary of Penang Development Corporation. Former PKR MP Zahrain Hashim who had been the Chairman and Director of IGP since 9 July 2008, had actually recommended that a RM2 company manage BJCC, an entity whose expenditure runs into millions of ringgit!

When the Chief Minister of Penang Lim Guan Eng found out about this tender, he refused to allow a RM2 private company which has no track record of managing a golf club to tender for the contract. The Penang PR governemnt had insisted to call for a fresh open tender in line with CAT principles and was willing to sever ties with Zahrain over the issue.

Compared to the Sarawak government, a lot of projects and land have been awarded to companies owned by the Chief Minister's family at below-market price, including:

1. Lot 1208 Puyut Land District(24,700 acres)for a company owned by the Taib’s son;

2. Lot 1210 Puyut Land District(12 300 acres)for a company owned by Taib’s brother;

3. Lot 79 Block 5 Balingian Land District(15,700 acres)for a company owned by Taib’s sister;

Since they obtained the land, they have not started any commercial projects. It is obvious that their companies were established clearly with the sole intended purpose of obtaining the land.

All the examples above are just the tip of the iceberg, and there are many other government projects and land which have been approved and awarded to Taib’s family.

If the Sarawak state government had adopted Competency, Accountability and Transparency (CAT) principles in their governance, the Rakyat would not be suffering now.

We deserve a better life. SUPP always criticizes PR as "capable of talking but has no ability in running the government”. Such allegations are baseless. SUPP is in fact an accomplice in the domination of Taib’s family in Sarawak. I urge SUPP to explain how they can save Sarawak from the clutches and dominance of the “Sarawak Royal Family”?

* Wong Ho Leng, DAP Sarawak Chairman & State Assemblyman for Bukit Assek