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By DayakDaily Team KUCHING, Oct 26: The Democratic Action Party (DAP) Sarawak has adopted a series of resolutions at its annual convention in Bintulu today, urging the State government to address issues ranging from native recognition and racial balance in the civil service to delayed housing delivery and greater transparency in public expenditure. The first resolution called for the Sarawak government to recognise third-generation Sarawakians of Chinese, Indian, or any other origin not mentioned in the Schedule of the Interpretation Ordinance to be considered as natives of the State. The second resolution urged the State government to implement a more balanced civil service proportionate to the racial composition of Sarawak, while the third touched on flood issues in various parts of the State, such as Bintulu earlier this year, as well as for compensation for victims to be rolled out more efficiently. As for the fourth resolution, the party called for an independent probe into public complaints over sudden spikes in electricity bills following the installation of SESCO’s smart meters. The fifth resolution called for transparency, urging the Sarawak government to reveal the details of loans taken by its companies, including the interest terms, loan repayment conditions, and the specific purposes for which the loans were obtained. In the sixth resolution, DAP Sarawak urged the State government to increase the efficiency and accountability of the local governments so that the issues affecting the people can be resolved in a more effective and responsive manner for better living conditions. Housing was the focus of the seventh resolution, with DAP Sarawak urging the State to step up efforts to settle stalled housing projects and expedite the issuance of individual land titles to protect affected house buyers, while the review of re-categorisation of land in Sarawak, which the party claimed has increased the land lease renewal premium of vast area of land, was the eighth resolution. The ninth resolution consisted of calls to reform the Sarawak Legislative Assembly (DUS), particularly by appointing an opposition member as the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) chairman. For the tenth resolution, the party called for the State government to stop relying on off-balance sheet expenditures through alternative funding initiatives, which they claimed, ‘distorts and conceals the actual government spending in the annual budget document’. As for the eleventh resolution, the Sarawak government was urged to review its plan to implement the hydrogen-powered Autonomous Rapid Transit (ART) project, and the twelfth was a call to all local councils to put on hold any attempts to increase assessment rates, particularly in view of the increase in State revenue, which should be distributed and enjoyed by the people. The thirteenth and final resolution called for the Sarawak government and Sarawak Water to resolve all water supply issues, including taking steps to immediately upgrade all the existing water pipes, which are susceptible to leakage and lead to numerous water cuts that affect the livelihood of the public. — DayakDaily
