Najib's open policy enables S'wak regain rights: Abang Johari

KUCHING: Sarawak Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg has urged the people in the state to continue to support the Barisan Nasional government under the leadership of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak.
He said the open policy adopted by Najib had enabled Sarawak to regain its rights enshrined in the Malaysia Agreement 1963.
He pointed out that the centralisation policy of Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad when he was the prime minister had allowed for federal government control over the state's oil and gas resources and the Bakun Hydroelectric Dam project.
The federal government then had also wanted to take control of the Sarawak Electricity Supply Corporation (Sesco) but it was unable to buy up the assets of the state-owned company valued at RM1 billion, he said at an appreciation event last night in conjunction with the general assembly of Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB).
"Now, however, the Bakun Hydroelectric Dam project and the oil and gas resources are back with Sarawak," he said.
Abang Johari said that under the premiership of Dr Mahathir, people were prohibited from talking about these rights.
"During the era of Tun Dr Mahathir, no one was bold enough to talk about these rights for fear that they may be detained under the Internal Security Act," he said.
On the return of Sarawak's rights over its oil and gas resources, Abang Johari said the decision to return the rights might have come as a shock but then these were Sarawak's rights that had to be respected by all.
He criticised Sarawak DAP chairman Chong Chieng Jen for questioning the sincerity of Najib in returning Sarawak's rights over its oil and gas resources. — Bernama