KUCHING, June 19 — United People’s Party (UPP) secretary general George Lo today condemned the suggestion by Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) president Tan Sri James Masing that the state government use all its reserves before the state election in 2021.
He said the state’s financial rating in the international community will be damaged if such a suggestion were entertained.
“With all due respect to Masing, that suggestion is ridiculous and is unworthy of any state official, much less a deputy chief minister, to come up with,” Lo said in a statement today.
He was responding to Masing’s recent suggestion that the state government use the RM31 billion reserves over the next three years for development projects.
Masing, who is also the deputy chief minister, had suggested at a PRS anniversary dinner that the reserves would be used by Pakatan Harapan (PH) if it won in the state election later.
In slamming Masing, Lo said the reserves belong to the people of Sarawak and not to Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) or any political party.
He said the reserves, accumulated over many decades, are not an election fund to ensure GPS will stay in power in the next state election.
“Any politician, whether he be from GPS or PH (Pakatan Harapan) or BN (Barisan Nasional), who thinks he can spend away our children’s future is destined to lose the next state election,” Lo added.
Meanwhile, Bandar Kuching member of Parliament Kelvin Yii said he was appalled by Masing’s statement, claiming that it is an insult to the role of a government in managing the resources of the state for the good of the people.
He said the government of the day is mandated by the voters and people of Sarawak to govern and manage the funds and resources of the state in trust for the people.
“It is not for him or even any person in power to finish up the reserves just for the sake of their own political interest or even political survival,” Yii said.
He said Masing’s suggestion speaks volumes of his lack of confidence in GPS’ ability to win the next state elections.
“He seems to be in panic mode. It is the clearest admission by a person in a high position in the state government of the failures of the defunct Sarawak Barisan Nasional.
“If the Sarawak BN in the past did a good job in managing the state and bringing equitable development to the people of Sarawak, why do they need to even worry right now?” Yii asked.
