MIRI - Sarawak DAP chief Chong Chien Jen has criticised five Sarawakian federal cabinet ministers from Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) for not questioning or standing up to the Prime Minister in the Malay-only directive issued by him.
Chong, who is the Member of Parliament for Stampin and Sarawak Pakatan Harapan chairman said the state has five full ministers including the deputy prime minister and six deputy ministers in the Federal Cabinet and yet they have all remained silent.
"All these GPS ministers and deputy ministers did not dare question the PM's directive on using only Malay for official letters to government bodies.
"These GPS ministers and deputy ministers in Putrajaya had failed to speak up and defend the rights of the state and ordinary Sarawakians," he said in a statement today.
Chong said the ministers and deputy prime minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusuf had plenty of opportunities to stand up to Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim on this since they are stationed in Putrajaya, but remained silent.
"We ordinary Sarawakians are disappointed with them for not standing up to the PM and defending our rights to use both English and Malay for official purposes," he said.
"What are they going to do if foreign investors write to their ministries in Putrajaya in English?
"Are they going to throw out these letters from international investors following the PM’s directive? he asked.
Earlier, Sarawak's Deputy Local Government, Public Health and Housing Minister Michael Tiang said the state would stick to using English and Malay as its official languages and continue issuing state government letters in English when needed.
He said the state government and its people will not entertain a directive from the prime minister for all official letters to government departments to be only in the Malay language.
Making this very clear, Tiang said Putrajaya cannot force the Sarawak authorities and Sarawakians in general to only use Malay for official correspondence to government agencies and ministries. - The Vibes, October 28, 2023
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