Never trust political parties from Malaya. UMNO knew our problems even before Malaysia. Leaders from Malaya, especially, from UMNO before Malaysia was formed came with promises that Sarawak would be treated as an equal partner in the federation of Malaysia.We were being made fools to have signed the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63). Smaller states like Kedah, Perlis and Melaka got better annual budget than us.

For 59 years UMNO was the backbone of the federal government and they could not be bothered to fulfill all the terms and conditions in the MA63. Instead the federal government led by UMNO diluted or took our rights in the MA63 away. After Malaysia was formed we could not see Sarawak being developed as expected. Instead, we lost our oil and gas resources and never been treated equal.

If Sarawak was treated as equal partners, the post of Deputy Prime Minister should have been given to Sarawak long time ago. It should have been given to Sarawak and Sabah when Malaysia was formed but not.

Other political parties like DAP, MIC, MCA, GERAKAN and PKR in Malaya also knew that Sarawak and Sabah should be treated equally by giving the post of Deputy Prime Minister to Sarawak and Sabah but they did not make any noise or suggestion about it.

Now, both UMNO and Pakatan Harapan (PH) who are from different camps, want nothing, but, power and in order to be able to grab power they need us. This made them made offering the post of Deputy Prime Minister to ensure Sarawak and Sabah would support them.
Even if shall be given, I can see Deputy Prime Ministers of Sarawak and Sabah will have no real power, but, puppets of Malaya. This is because by the rule of parliamentary democracy, the voice of the majority in the federal cabinet must be followed. Malaya will dominate the federal cabinet as usual and the Deputy Prime Minister will only be for window dressing to sit in the posh air-conditioned room of their office only. The real power will still be held by cabinet ministers of Malaya.
GPS government should not be too happy to be enticed by UMNO or by PH

VOON LEE SHAN
President,
Parti Bumi Kenyalang