DAP Sarawak and Sabah has a question for all Sarawakian Ministers and Deputy Ministers in Najib’s administration — why didn’t they oppose the controversial Tourism Tax Bill at the Federal Cabinet level in the first place?
If Sarawak BN is sincere in fighting for the state’s autonomy, they should convene an emergency state assembly sitting and pass a resolution to demand the return of power from federal jurisdiction to the state in the tourism sector.
The move by Sarawak BN to withdraw from the Malaysia Tourism Board is merely a political stunt, as the federal agency already closed down all its offices throughout the country in January for that very same reason — to avoid job duplication with state agencies in promoting tourist attractions. That action was initiated by the Tourism and Cultural Minister Nazri Aziz, who was also the senior BN/UMNO Minister who started a spat with his Sarawak counterpart, Abdul Karim.
The movement by Sarawak BN to act “boldly” to confront the Federal Minister is nothing more than a well-designed and scripted “Wayang Kulit” (drama) to drum up support for BN in the Pujut by-election, as nomination day is scheduled on 20 June.
Sarawak BN will play up ‘anti-Malaya’ sentiments and then maliciously label DAP again as the “Malayan party” in the by-election.
In fact, the Tourism Tax Bill 2017 was shoved down our throats in Parliament in the last sitting. It was passed at 5.05am on April 6, 2017.
A number of DAP MPs including Seremban MP, Anthony Loke and DAP Secretary-General Lim Guan Eng took part in the debate. DAP MPs opposed the Bill and stated our stand loud and clear during the debate.
NONE of the BN Sarawak MPs spoke up. Not even one word.
For any Bill to be tabled in Parliament, it must first be approved by the Cabinet. There are six Sarawak BN Ministers in the Cabinet, including one from SUPP, and 5 Deputy Ministers. Did they say NO to Najib and Nazri when it was proposed that a new Tourism Tax be implemented by the federal government?
Fadillah Yusof, the Federal Minister of Works, has issued a press statement under the name of Sarawak BN Youth Chief, to slam Nazri for being rude and hurling insults at a Sarawakian Minister over the controversial new tax on hotels. Did Fadillah oppose theBbill during the Cabinet meeting?
Another equal partner state, Sabah (whose BN state govenment has vowed to review the Bill) has 6 Ministers and 4 Deputy Ministers in Najib’s Cabinet. Why didn’t they oppose it in the Cabinet meeting in the first place?
The Sabah BN government has said it needs to seek clarification before deciding on the Bill. What kind of clarification needs tob e sought? Were they all sleeping during the legislative process?
With that, we challenge Sarawak BN and Sabah BN to pass a resolution in the state assemblies respectively, to demand that the Federal Government return the power pertaining to tourism matters to the two autonomous states.
MPs from Borneo should take the bold step of proposing a Private Member’s Bill to amend Schedule 9, to take out tourism from the Federal List (25A), and place it under the ‘State List’.
Are they daring enough to do it?