Lim denies saying MPKKP ‘weapon’ to capture S’wak
KUCHING: Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng has challenged Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg to prove that he had referred to the Federal Village Community Management Council (MPKKP) as a ‘ weapon’ to capture Sarawak in the next state election.
“This is a disreputable act coming from the Sarawak Chief Minister of pu ing such words, especially ‘weapon’ into my mouth,” he said in a statement yesterday a er Abang Johari claimed Lim had let the cat out of the bag about the purpose of the council.
“I had never used such word and challenge Abang Johari to show proof that I had referred to MPKKP in that manner. Clearly the Sarawak Chief Minister is not a gentleman like his predecessor.”
Abang Johari on Sunday said MPKKP was merely a means by Pakatan Harapan (PH) to achieve its goal of wresting power in Sarawak by dividing the people.
“Today (Sunday), I read that they said MPKKP was a weapon to capture Sarawak in the coming state election. This is what
Malaya (Peninsular Malaysia) said. The secret is out,” he said at a community event here.
Lim said Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) cannot cover up their ‘ unholy alliance’ with Umno and PAS to form a third force of 91 MPs that would lead to non-Muslim and non-Malay fundamental rights, as enshrined under the Federal Constitution, being extinguished.
“The Umono president had clearly said that GPS was part of the third force of 91 MPs, clearly continuing the existing collaboration and cooperation between GPS, PAS and Umno,” he said, referring to Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi’s remarks on Sunday.
Lim added that GPS has still failed to explain how cooperating with PAS and Barisan Nasional (BN) could benefit Sarawakians, as shown by their common stand in rejecting PH’s effort to amend the Federal Constitution to restore the status and position of Sabah and Sarawak on the same level as Peninsular Malaysia.
Describing it as “back door approach of forming a new federal government by BN and PAS that were defeated in the 2018 general election”, he said it was a dangerous escalation of undemocratic tactics to overthrow the present federal government.
“A new federal government led by PAS and Umno may lead to more corruption and incompetent economic management until salaries of civil servants cannot be paid,” he said, listing out several biased policies that could result from the parties’ rule.
Lim pointed out the PAS government of Kelantan was unable to pay the salaries of its employees and that it had to recently borrow about RM100 million from the federal government to do so.