Mystified why Najib gave Adenan an open slap-in-the-face by rejecting Sarawak Barisan Nasional request for 20 per cent oil royalty for Sarawak on eve of May 7 Polling
I must confess I am mystified why the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak had given Tan Sri Adenan Satem an “open slap-in-the-face” by rejecting the Sarawak Barisan Nasional’s request for 20 per cent oil royalty for Sarawak on the eve of the May 7 Polling.
Why could’nt Najib wait until after the 11th Sarawak state general results on May 7 to deliver such bad news to the people of Sarawak?
Is it because it is finally not Adenan’s Team and Adenan’s Way but Najib’s Team and Najib’s Way as far as the 11th Sarawak State General Election is concerned?
The reason given by the Deputy Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi for Najib’s announcement after the Cabinet meeting in Kuching yesterday that this would not be the right time to consider raising the state’s oil royalty to 20 percent is too patronising and an insult to the intelligence of Sarawakians.
Zahid said that the total RM20 billion allocations handed to Sarawak by the federal government is more than the 20 percent oil royalty to the state.
Zahid claimed that Najib’s allocation for the Pan Borneo Highway, as well as those from other federal ministers, have exceeded RM20 billion.
Zahid had said that the weekly Cabinet meeting had been switched from Putrajaya to Kuching to support Adenan’s leadership in Sarawak.
This a very strange and funny way for the Cabinet to support Adenan’s Chief Ministership in Sarawak, as the Cabinet should have approved Adenan’s request for 20% oil royalty.
Instead, the Cabinet meeting in Kuching decided to reject Adenan’s 20% oil royalty request and claimed this is to support Adenan’s Chief Ministership!
How can this be taken as a way to support Adenan’s Chief Ministership?
This is not the first time that Barisan Nasional federal and state leaders have insulted the intelligence of Sarawakians by making the most dumb statements and claims.
One such example is the incredible statement by the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak purportedly urging the voters in Simanggang not to “sell” their rights for money but to retain their votes as a prized possession that can be used to decide their future.
The Election Commission has so far been “blind, deaf and dumb” to the massive election abuses in the 11th Sarawak state general elections, especially in the politics of money and politics of fear and intimidation employed against DAP candidates.
In fact, the politics of money appeared to have exceeded previous elections, with voters being bribed to vote for Barisan Nasional ranging from a few hundreds per voter to as high as RM2,000 per voter.
Voters should pocket whatever is offered them, but vote for change and the sake of future generations.
Federal and State Ministers have openly flouted elections laws to ensure a clean, free and fair elections by announcing allocations and approvals for development projects during the campaign period, but the Election Commission is blissfully “blind, deaf and dumb” to such election malpractices and offences, not lifting a single finger to ensure that the 11th Sarawak state general elections is fair, free and clean.
The Election Commission has failed its constitutional duty to conduct, not just an election, but one which is free, fair, clean and democratic!