A Sarawak assemblyman has accused PKR deputy president Nurul Izzah Anwar of trying to exploit Sarawak issues for political gain with her call for action on native customary land.
Kota Sentosa assemblyman Wilfred Yap said Nurul Izzah‘s comments earlier today were a “transparent attempt” to exploit Sarawakian issues for political mileage.
Earlier today, Nurul Izzah had called for faster action on land surveys and ownership approvals for native customary land in Sarawak, and a halt to the issuance of new licences on disputed land.
In response, Yap said that if Pakatan Harapan wanted Sarawakians to take them seriously, “they must show it through concrete action”.
At least one-third of the federal development budget should be allocated to Sabah and Sarawak if Putrajaya is serious about native customary land in Sarawak and the state’s development, he said.
Yap, who is with the Sarawak United People’s Party, said: “It is simply disingenuous for peninsular politicians to issue statements as though they are mere observers, when in fact Pakatan Harapan is now the federal government.”
He said that for decades peninsular-based parties had talked about respecting Sarawak’s rights, yet federal budgets and allocations “consistently fall short of reflecting true equality”.
“If PH wants Sarawakians to take them seriously, they must show it through concrete action — bigger budget allocations, real investments, and respect for our autonomy.”
Allocating at least one-third of national development spending to Sabah and Sarawak would be in line with the spirit of the Malaysia Agreement and the Borneo states’ contributions to the nation, he said.
Nurul Izzah had said many indigenous people faced serious legal, bureaucratic, and financial challenges just to have their rights recognised.
Although native customary rights are recognised under federal law and the Sarawak Land Code, Nurul Izzah said only a fraction of such land had been formally surveyed and allowed legal ownership.
