BINTULU, Oct 16 — The good relationship between Sarawak and the federal governments is based on mutual respect, said Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Openg.

In this regard, Abang Johari said his administration will firmly defend the rights and interests of the state under the Sarawak Constitution, Federal Constitution, Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) and the Inter-Governmental Committee (IGC) Report.

“My friends and I will manage Sarawak based on the four documents, and this is our struggle in Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) as the backbone of Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS),” he said at the PBB northern zone special convention in Bintulu yesterday.

Abang Johari thanked the Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim for announcing that the Bintulu Port would be given back to the Sarawak government when tabling the Budget 2024 on Friday.

“We have taken over Bakun and now we take over Bintulu Port,” he said, adding that Bintulu Port is one of Sarawak’s rights under the existing laws.

He disclosed that the Sarawak government will set up a central port authority that will include Miri Port, Kuching Port, Tanjung Manis Port and other ports owned by Sarawak.

Abang Johari reiterated that under the Federal Constitution, ports are under the State List.

“Even though there used to be an understanding between Tun (Abdul) Rahman (Ya’kub) and Tun Hussein Onn, at that time Sarawak did not have the funds to build a port, but we did not amend the constitution from Sarawak’s point of view,” he explained.

Abang Johari said in six years leading the state government, he had managed to double the state’s revenue from RM6 billion to RM11.9 billion recorded in 2022, and this year’s revenue is also expected to register an increase.

He said it was a lesson learnt for the Sarawak government when the Barisan Nasional collapsed at the federal level.

The defeat of BN, he said, had caused anxiety among the people, whether Sarawak would be able to survive on its own, without the help from the federal government under Pakatan Harapan which had cancelled many development projects in Sarawak.

He said as a PBB leader, it was a challenge for him and he pledged to fight back based on the existing laws as stipulated under the constitutions, MA63 and IGC Report.

To increase Sarawak revenue, Abang Johari said his administration pursued legal proceedings against national oil company Petronas over the non-payment of sales tax as stipulated under the Federal Constitution.

“We won in court and if I’m afraid, there will be no SST, and I know the people are rallying behind my back, I dare to face it,” he added.

Abang Johari said he was surprised that many people are now coming to Sarawak to learn how GPS manages the state’s economy and its policies, with a recent visit by Penang chief minister Chow Kon Yeow and delegates from the Selangor government. — Borneo Post Online