Baru draws flak from Sagan

by Jacob Achoi, reporters@theborneopost.com. Posted on February 17, 2012, Friday

KUCHING: Deputy Minister of International Trade and Industry Datuk Jacob Sagan yesterday took to task State Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) chairman Baru Bian over his remark that it was only a ‘hollow promise’ that the state would become the richest state in the country by 2030.

He said the remark only indicated that Baru had no confidence in Sarawakians’ ability to develop the state, and was made to derail the state’s development plans and strategies.

Saying this at a media conference yesterday after closing a seminar on Creating Excellent Organisation Through Creativity and Innovativeness, Sagan produced a paper cutting to show Baru’s statement, which he said had upset him (Sagan).

Among others, Baru was reported to have said on Wednesday that the repeated statements that Sarawak would become the richest state by 2030 were nothing more than a ‘hollow promise’.

“The statement by (Baru Bian) clearly shows that he has no confidence in Sarawak people to develop the state, and such statement comes from a person who doesn’t have a vision, and does not know the programmes that the government (state) is working on,” Sagan pointed out.

He said Chief Minister Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud was realistic, and was not making empty promises when he (Taib) said the state would be the richest among all states in the country by 2030.

“He (Taib) has a very solid and concrete plan of development,” he said.

Meanwhile, Sagan, who is Baram MP, declined to answer questions on whether he would contest in the coming general election.

He said he was putting politics at the backburner for now, adding that his priority was to carry out the various government plans.

“Let us put politics aside because I don’t want to be derailed by any political influence,” he said.