The main consideration for the upcoming Parliamentary Elections is to change the current incompetent and corrupt government with a government whose main focus is on anti-corruption measures, institutional reforms on top of promoting a multicultural and pluralistic approach towards governance.
In order to do that, only parties with national presence can have the strength and presence to inflict such a change.
Currently the future of our country is being played by the selfish interest of leaders in UMNO who insist of having an election even during the floods, before even the budget is debated, scrutinised and passed.
This is very detrimental to our economy as well as will significantly affect both domestic and foreign investors. Imagine facing a global economic recession without having a proper budget that has been passed to show the fiscal trajectory of our country to try manoeuvre through this economic crisis.
Even with such madness going on, the silence from many of the Ministers including those from GPS is deafening. Such selfish political act is detriment to all including the well-being of Sarawakians.
That is why such an irresponsible government must be replaced and can only be done through a national coalition.
There have been many attempts especially by so-called local opposition parties that attempts to paint a misleading picture that the welfare and rights of Sarawakians cannot be protected under a national party.
First and foremost this is a clear myth as it is through the presence of a strong national party is where we can inflict necessary policy change to safeguard our rights.
This including when we were in government attempting to amend Article 1(2) of Federal Constitution for the first time, on top of doubling special allocations under Article 112D.
While we acknowledge there were things we were yet to fulfill, but it is mainly due to us not given chance to finish our full term that was mandated by the people.
Even as an opposition, due to strength and influence of a national party and coalition, we were able sign a MOU with the Prime Minister to demand some important reforms for our country.
One main demands in the MOU is the restoration of our rights under MA63.
Within 2 months of signing it, the government tabled the amendments to Article 1(2) which was long-delayed even though the Minister of Sabah & Sarawak Affairs in March 2020 claimed that he will table the amendments in 6 months time.
On top of that, during the previous budget session, due to the MOU signed, we went to see the Minister of Finance to demand more from budget including more allocations for Sabah & Sarawak among other demands, which was manifested by the Minister announcing additional RM 450 million to Sarawak alone in his rounding up speech.
This clearly shows how the interest of Sabahans, and Sarawakians can be protected under a national party that supports and upholds the MA63 like DAP and Pakatan Harapan.
This is unlike so-called local parties that only seems to play on local sentiments but do not offer proper policy changes to address the growing issues faced by all including health, education economy and even environment which affect us Sarawakians as well.
Parties such as Parti Bumi Kenyalang(PBK) has even contradicted themselves in their recent statement claiming that they are protecting rights of Sarawakians under MA63, when before this they claimed that MA63 is null and void thus demand for independence.
So it seems their narrative keep changing from a State election to a Federal Election likely in an attempt to mislead people and merely trying split the opposition votes.
On top of that, PSB who claims o be the only one to protect Sarawak rights, but both their Member of Parliament(MPs) did not even turn up to debate or vote during the amendments for Article 1(2) to restore Sarawak’s original position.
Now one of this MP has even jumped and left the party and support the current UMNO/BN government. How can they claim to be able safeguard our interest when they are not even loyal to their own party?
The recent announcement of a possible Borneo Caucus by the Sabah & Sarawak Affairs Minister, is another clear indication that even as a Sarawakian MP on a national platform, we will support policies that are good for the people of Sabah & Sarawak.
At the end of the day, good politics is about proper policies and service, not merely playing on sentiments.
DAP has been on the ground to service people for years even when we lost the elections, unlike parties and candidates of these so-called local parties that has gone missing after the elections.