KUCHING, Nov 12 — Pakatan Harapan (PH) chairman Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim today urged Sarawak voters to give the coalition’s candidates a strong voice in the 15th general election (GE15) so they can work together as a state-federal team to defend the interests of all the people in the state.
He said the PH’s offer to Sarawakians concerned not just good governance, but also a fair, multi-racial, multi-religious agenda.
“This is a very important and critical general election. We want to make a change in the political landscape in this country — whether you want racists plundering this nation and using a race as a card to win over rural Malay support or Perikatan Nasional (PN) with PAS inside, talking about all those not with them going to hell, to continue,” Anwar, who is also PKR president, told reporters when announcing PH’s offer to Sarawakian voters.
“Let me caution you: Don’t treat this election lightly.
“What happens on November 19 will determine the future of this country, not just the next five years. Even now to dismantle corrupt, archaic, obsolete policies is a major battle and hurdle.
“Now that we are leading (in the opinion polls), let our friends, the candidates from PKR, DAP and Amanah in Sarawak, contribute to this splendid PH victory in this general election,” Anwar said.
Anwar also reassured Sarawakians that PH would resolve issues relating to the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) as soon as possible.
“We want this election to give a mandate to PH so that all matters relating to MA63 are resolved without much negotiation, and to implement what has been committed to,” he said.
He said the devolution of power should be in accordance with the Federal Constitution, including issues involving rural schools, health, education and ethnic languages.
Anwar said the PH federal government would pay attention to all these issues.
“However, the devolution of power does not mean there will be no rules and regulations.
“For example, financial management, as well as avoiding wastage and contract distribution to political leaders, this requires commitment on our part in the interest of good governance.
“When it comes to this, I will not compromise,” he said
Anwar said PH is a party that prioritises not just the Bumiputera and Malays, but also all the races in the country.
He said Barisan Nasional (BN) was still trapped in its old and obsolete approach of championing Malay supremacy, although PN was worse, as it relied on PAS to insult other races who don’t support them.
He said he agreed with the GPS government’s decision to bar those with a narrow religious understanding from entering Sarawak.
