2.) II. BBS DECLARATION AND MANIFESTO

II. BBS DECLARATION AND MANIFESTO

As the flag bearer and the representative of the Barisan Bersatu Sarawak in this August House, I would like to take this opportunity to proclaim for the solemn and permanent records of this August House the Declaration and the Manifesto of the Barisan Bersatu Sarawak (as a foot note I would like also to inform this August House that I am one of the proud authors of both the said documents):



THE BARISAN BERSATU SARAWAK DECLARATION

Whereas according to the Nine Cardinal Principles as bequeathed by the Rajahs, and which have been honoured by the British Colonial Government*, Sarawak is the Heritage of all Sarawakians and is only held in trust by the Government of the Day for them,

Whereas despite the fact that we have been independent and self governing for 40 over years, Sarawakians have increasingly been denied and deprived of the rights that have been granted to them by the previous governments of Sarawak,

We the undersigned parties representing our respective parties do hereby solemnly and sincerely declare and do pledge that:

We as loyal and patriotic Sarawakians have come together in common cause and to struggle for our beloved state of Sarawak

We will struggle to restore and to return all the rights and privileges that rightly belong to all Sarawakians, and which have been progressively taken away by the Barisan National government

We will not detract or stray from our noble cause no matter what, and until our objectives we have set for Sarawak have been achieved

Towards this objective we have formed the Barisan Bersatu Sarawak (BBS) and will in due course register and contest under a common logo and common manifesto

To ensure the success of our set objectives, we shall work with all like minded parties and individuals who share our objectives


We shall work under a sharing and collective leadership which will ensure that no races or regions in Sarawak will ever be neglected or forgotten again.


Dated this 6th day of May 2006




(signed) (signed) (signed)
------------------------------ -------------------------------- ---------------------------
Hj Wan Zainal Abidin Edwin Dundang ak Bugak Nicholas Bawing ak
Bin Wan Senusi Anggat
Chairman, Liaison Committee, President, Protem President,
Parti KeADILan Rakyat Sarawak National Party Malaysian Dayak Congress


*According to Tan Sri Datuk Ong Kee Hui in the first volume of his Memoirs “Footprints in Sarawak”, the Nine Cardinal Principles were embodied in the 1941 Constitution of Sarawak and Accepted by the British Government in 1946.




MANIFESTO OF BARISAN BERSATU SARAWAK


Barisan Bersatu Sarawak consists of 3 component Parties: Sarawak National Party, Parti KeAdilan Rakyat and Malaysian Dayak Congress, and is open to and embraces All Sarawakians committed to bringing about changes to the political environment in Sarawak.

1. THE MISSION OF BARISAN BERSATU SARAWAK

1.1 To build a New Sarawak that will be one for all Sarawakians, and allow them to assume their rightful and proud position in the Malaysian entity.

1.2 To ensure justice, freedom and equality of treatment, fair distribution of wealth and equal opportunity for all Sarawakians irrespective of race, culture, creed or religion.


2. SYSTEM OF GOVERNMENT

2.1 To establish a clean, fair, truly democratic and transparent government and one devoid of corruption, nepotism and abuse of power.

2.2 To restructure the State Civil Service with the objective of ensuring optimum transparency and accountability in the running of the State Administration.


2.3 To implement a ruling limiting the tenure of office of the Chief Minister to a period not exceeding 10 years as part of the strategy to prevent corruption and abuse of power by anyone entrusted to serve in that capacity.



3. LAND

3.1 We, the Barisan Bersatu Sarawak (BBS) acknowledge and recognise that all lands in Sarawak belong to the people and that the Government holds the land in trust for the people. In this respect if elected, a BBS government will put as its top priority the passing of the relevant laws that will return all lands to the people of Sarawak.

3.2 To amend the Sarawak Land Code with a view to upgrade the Native Customary Rights land owners from mere licensees to proprietors of land issued with documents of titles and to ensure that all residential leases are converted to grants in perpetuity.

3.3 To introduce smart partnership policy to ensure all land based developments be participated by and for the maximum benefits of land owners and financiers alike.




4. EDUCATION

4.1 To introduce the award of financial aids by the State Government and its agencies to deserving students and enhances text book assistance scheme in order to benefit a greater majority of the middle and low income group.

4.2 To provide annual state grants to all Religious Schools, Mission and Chinese Medium Schools in recognition of their century long contribution to Education in Sarawak.

4.3 To negotiate for sufficient placements for local students in all institutions of higher learning in Sarawak, and to give potential and deserving Sarawak students opportunity for overseas education and training, irrespective of race, culture, creed or religion.



5. ERADICATION OF POVERTY

5.1 To be totally committed to the eradication of rural and urban poverty and to narrow the economic gap between the rich and the poor by way of expanding the economic cake and ensuring fair and equitable distribution of business and job opportunities.



6. HOUSING

6.1 To establish an efficient housing policy aimed at increasing the production of comfortable low-cost and medium cost houses, to cater for the needs of even the poorest segment of the Rakyat and towards this end ‘a one housing lot per family policy’ shall be adopted.



7. INFRASTRUCTURE

7.1 If Malaysia’s vision of attaining a developed status by 2020 is to have any meaning, then roads and basic infrastructure and amenities should reach every village in Sarawak by then since development is a right, not a privilege, of all Sarawakians.




8. AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES AND OTHER SMALL AND MEDIUM INDUSTRIES


8.1 To intensify the use of natural resources such as petroleum, natural gas, timber, agriculture produce and marine resources in the development of small and medium industries.

8.2 To intensify the use of science and technology as catalysts in industrial development.

8.3 To set up more training centres to train local entrepreneurs to enable them to take advantage of the tremendous opportunities in the fields of Agriculture and Fishing and other industries.

8.4 To increase financial assistance to local farmers and fishermen and entrepreneurs involved in small and medium industries.



9. NATURAL RESOURCES


9.1 To review and renegotiate the existing agreement with the Federal Government to enable the State to have a greater share and control of the rich petroleum resources.

9.2 To review and examine existing policy and practice relating to issuance of timber licences to guarantee maximum benefit from these rich resources goes to the Government instead of undeserving politically connected individuals.



10. LABOUR

10.1 To ensure Sarawakians enjoy all the benefits that all other Malaysians have, the Sarawak Labour Ordinance should be implemented without any delay and full and proper protection accorded our workers (at all times).


11. REVIEW OF ALL LAWS

11.1 To expedite examination of all State Legislations and to repeal all unjust laws.

11.2 To re-amend the Interpretation Ordinance in order to reinstate the Dayak Races as Natives of Sarawak.



12. GENERAL MATTERS

12.1 To ensure and promote firm State-Federal relationship in the governance of Sarawak and its people, based on the true spirit of cooperation and mutual respect, fully acknowledging the roles, rights and responsibilities of each as enshrined in the Federal and State Constitutions.

12.2 To re-affirm the true spirit of the 20 Point Agreement when Sarawak formed Malaysia with the territories of Malaya and the North Borneo (Sabah).

12.3 To ensure that development fund approved by the Federal Government for a specific project be utilized for that project and not diverted to unapproved purposes.


A VOTE FOR THE BARISAN BERSATU SARAWAK IS A VOTE FOR A NEW SARAWAK!!!



Those were the text of the Declaration and the Manifesto of the Barisan Bersatu Sarawak. Together they could be said to lay the blue print of our Vision for a New Sarawak!

Of a New Sarawak that will be one for all Sarawakians, and one where there will be justice, freedom and equality of treatment, fair distribution of wealth and equal opportunity for all Sarawakians irrespective of race, culture, creed or religion.