MIRI – When Tan Sri Abang Johari Openg resumed the chief minister’s (CM) role almost five years ago, he announced plans to construct a LRT mega-project in Kuching costing some RM4 billion.
That project has yet to materialise.
Abang Johari came to Miri shortly after becoming CM and proclaimed that all of rural Sarawak would have internet connection from a “balloon internet” system where huge balloons would be hovering the skies equipped with internet devices so that rural folks will be able to use their handphones and digital devices.
That balloon internet project remains a dream until today. Nothing ever came out of it.
In fact, many government politicians and state representatives are clueless about whether the balloon internet system is supposed to work in rural Sarawak due to its torrential rain, heavy clouds and thunderstorms.
Abang Johari in 2019 also announced his exciting project of wanting to set up Sarawak Airlines.
He said the state government will lease aircraft and establish international tourism links to transport tourists from all over China to Sarawak.
Until today, that remains an empty promise.
Three years ago, Abang Johari also spoke about wanting to build a digital superhighway via undersea link with China to facilitate super-digital technology advancement in Sarawak.
What he was talking about still remains a mystery until today as no digital superhighway is here but one thing is for sure, Sarawak is facing a lot of digital linkage woes.
And last week, at a function in the remote town of Betong in southern Sarawak, Abang Johari had once again promised another grand project.
This time, he wants to set up a “boutique airline” to bring in tourists and export agricultural produce.
Bandar Kuching MP Dr Kelvin Yii immediately scoffed at Abang Johari for making yet another grand public announcement of a state airline project in Sarawak.
The Sarawak DAP lawmaker said this is the second time in three years that Abang Johari had announced his grand plans to set up Sarawak’s very own airline but nothing really happened.
“Another hot-air project announcement.
In fact, this is not the first time he announced plans to set up a state airline.
“He announced the same thing in 2019,” the lawmaker said in his social media postings.
Dr Yii’s predicament is echoed by the people with many questioning Abang Johari’s mega grand plans, which have yet to materialise.
Announcing plans like setting up airlines cannot be just for the sake of publicity.
Abang Johari should ask himself many questions before he speaks in public.
Will setting up a state airline be financially sound and economically viable in the long-term?
Dr Yii said the state government should consider working with existing airlines to improve connectivity, especially domestic routes within Sarawak by offering incentives and subsidies, rather than take over a whole airline company which requires high investment.
Dr Yii also said that Abang Johari’s recent announcements hinted that such projects will only be done “if given the mandate in this state election”.
Indeed, the so-called “boutique airline” plan by Abang Johari sounds like another grand talk for the state election stage.
I am sure many, even in Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS), will share a similar view – that Abang Johari should stop making announcements about mega projects that cannot be realised.
I still remember when the late Tan Sri Adenan Satem took over as CM in 2013, the very first thing he did was reduce assessment rates across the board for houses, offices, shops and industrial premises.
This benefitted three million people in Sarawak.
Adenan also abolished tolls in Sarawak, benefitting hundreds of thousands of motorists, plus more than 50 measures to help the people.
Sadly, Adenan passed away after only less than four years in office.
Abang Johari must learn from Adenan.
Do simple things that impact the rakyat in a real and positive way.
As it is now, we ordinary Sarawakians are hearing too many grand, mega projects once too often; projects that often do not see daylight. – The Vibes, December 5, 2021
Stephen Then is a reporter with The Vibes based in Sarawak
