DAP: DPM's anti-graft 'jihad' must start in Sarawak

The government, in particular Deputy Premier Muhyiddin Yassin, must make Sarawak its top priority if it is indeed serious about tackling graft, said DAP.

Commenting on Muhyiddin's statement yesterday that fighting corruption was akin to 'jihad', Sarawak DAP secretary Chong Chieng Jen (right) said there are state leaders who own many plots of land and have bank accounts overseas flush with cash.

“The deputy prime minister must walk the talk. I am very happy to invite him to come to Sarawak and make it his number one mission, after his announcement, to investigate the corrupt leaders, whoever they may be.

“We want to see action against the corrupt BN leaders, and I am hoping that Muhyiddin was not just paying lip service,” he said at a press conference today.

Chong said that BN leaders such as former premier Abdullah Ahmad Badawi had claimed that they will be tough on graft but little action had been actually taken.

“Now, we have heard the deputy prime minister reiterating the importance of fighting corruption. In fact, he has likened fighting corruption as a 'jihad',” said Chong, who is also the Bandar Kuching member of parliament.

He said that Sarawakians were clamouring for a tougher stance against graft, as shown by the overwhelming urban public support for DAP, which adopted an anti-corruption message as the main thrust of its campaign.

Fuel price hike unjustified

Chong did not mention the BN leaders in question but he might be referring to allegations by Sarawak Report that Chief Minister Abdul Taib Mahmud had stashed billions in foreign bank accounts and had a global properties empire.

Despite a large number of reports against Taib, the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) has yet to confirm or deny if he is under investigation.

There have also been numerous allegations that Taib's family members have accrued massive amounts of wealth through their connection with the state government.

Meanwhile, Chong said DAP was strongly opposed to the move to increase the price of RON97 grade petrol by RM0.20 per litre to RM2.90.

He said that it was it illogical for fuel prices to increase a time when national oil company Petronas was making billions because of a rise in crude oil prices.

“The only reason I can think of is that the government has overspent due to corruption and wasteful spending,” he said.

The RON97 price, which is managed by a free float, was raised for a seventh time in less than one year. The federal government had previously stated that fuel prices must be raised to address a burgeoning subsidy bill.