You’re a bully, PSM tells Guan Eng
PUCHONG: Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM) today hurled brickbats at Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng for withholding funds to repair dilapidated schools in Sarawak until the state repays its debt.
In a statement today, PSM deputy chairperson S Arutchelvan said Pakatan Harapan was playing cheap politics by holding the state government to ransom on the matter.
“What kind of bullying is this? If the Sarawak state government had the money, surely they won’t be asking for federal aid.
“Is this how Pakatan plans to capture Sarawak in the next state election? By using money as a bait? This is low level politics,” he said.
Earlier today, Lim said that the federal government will expedite the channelling of RM350 million for the first phase of the dilapidated school repair project in Sarawak as soon as the state government repays its debts of the same amount to the federal government.
The Bagan MP said that the state government still owes the federal government RM2.352 billion as of June 30 this year.
Lim added that the federal government had basically agreed to accept the amount as part of the state government’s loan repayment amounting to RM1 billion, to repair dilapidated schools in the state, subject to the four legal mechanisms agreed by both sides.
Unimpressed by Lim’s statement, Arutchelvan said that Pakatan Harapan itself has acknowledged in its manifesto that despite being rich in natural resources, Sarawak was one of the poorest state in Malaysia.
The PSM leader also reminded Lim on how Pakatan had promised to uplift Sarawak’s economy and give the state 20% oil royalty should the coalition win federal powers.
“If you think Sarawak was robbed by the previous Barisan Nasional administration, then why are you treating them like this?
“If Pakatan is concerned about Sarawak, then why can’t you write-off their debt by taking into consideration that the state had been cheated and underpaid of its oil revenue?” asked Arutchelvan.
He then said that there is no point for Lim and his fellow Pakatan leaders to talk highly about education when they are using high handed tactics to punish Sarawak.
“Even education is not spared by the bullies. Just be reminded that you have yet to win Sarawak,” said Arutchelvan.
By G Vinod