KUCHING: Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) Youth has called out Democratic Action Party Socialist Youth (DAPSY) Sarawak for allegedly downplaying the Sarawak government’s role in the acquisition of Bintulu Port and for what it described as attempts to distort the issue.
Premier of Sarawak’s political secretary and PBB Youth deputy treasurer, Afiq Fikri Ibrahim, said the main issue was not about recognising the role of the federal government in the takeover, but rather DAPSY’s alleged refusal to acknowledge the efforts of the Sarawak government under Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg.
He also claimed that DAPSY had yet to apologise over an edited visual that previously omitted the Premier’s image, despite the matter having been corrected.
“We are also disappointed that DAPSY continues to belittle the RM1.8-billion compensation paid for the acquisition of Bintulu Port,” he said in a statement today.
According to Afiq, the compensation amount, which resulted from negotiations between the Sarawak and federal governments, reflects Sarawak’s strong financial position.
He noted that the RM1.8-billion payment exceeds the 2026 budget of the DAP-led Penang state government and is three times larger than Penang’s estimated state reserves of around RM600 million.
Afiq attributed Sarawak’s financial strength to the state’s economic development under Abang Johari’s leadership, adding that even Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim had acknowledged the unprecedented situation of a state government presenting a compensation cheque to the federal government.
He said the achievement was well understood by the people of Sarawak and should not be dismissed as political spin.
At the same time, Afiq welcomed DAPSY ‘s recent acknowledgement of the Sarawak government’s efforts to reclaim the state’s rights and privileges under the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63).
However, he urged the movement to consistently recognise such efforts regardless of which federal administration was involved and not only when the achievements were linked to leaders from DAP or Pakatan Harapan.
He said the struggle to reclaim Sarawak’s rights and interests has always been a consistent agenda of the Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) government, irrespective of the federal government of the day.
“MA63 is not a seasonal political slogan or a tool for gaining popularity. It is the foundation of Malaysia’s formation as enshrined in the Federal Constitution,” he said.
Afiq stressed that efforts to reclaim and safeguard Sarawak’s rights remain a trust that the GPS government will continue to uphold for the benefit of the people and the future of the state.
