MIRI – Miri PKR chief Dr Michael Teo has called on the Sarawak government to explain how the deepening of the Sg Baram river at Miri Port, reportedly at a cost of RM200 million, has benefited the parliamentary constituency.
Describing the so-called upgrade as a “white elephant”, Dr Teo pointed out that the huge allocation was spent during the past few years of Gabungan Parti Sarawak’s (GPS) rule over the state,
“So much money was used but the rakyat in Miri did not feel any benefit at all,” he said at a PKR rally in front of its head office here last night. “We in PKR are against such wastage of public funds.”
“The massive amount of money is taxpayers’ money. Since it belongs to the people, the people must have direct benefits.”
Dr Teo, the incumbent two-term MP for Miri, is campaigning for it to be retained by PKR for Pakatan Harapan (PH).
He visited a section of the Pan Borneo Highway here to greet motorists with PH’s campaign banners this morning.
He was accompanied by Sarawak PKR Youth chief Chiew Choon Man, who is contesting the seat for PH in the 15th general election (GE15).
In his speech yesterday, Dr Teo stressed that although he has not been fielded to defend the seat himself, he remains loyal to party leaders at the state and national levels.
He told the crowd that the party’s top leaders are giving the young Chiew a chance to continue winning Miri for PKR.
He added that he will remain as active as possible in the party’s activities in Sarawak.
Recently, Dr Teo had told The Vibes he had wanted to retire a few years back but needed more time as a legislator to try to get a cancer ward set up in Miri Hospital.
He was also looking at how to get low-cost housing developers to build cheaper houses in Miri.
“However, I have to accept that I should retire and help the young candidate to win for the sake of the people,” he had said.
His name was originally on the Sarawak PH list of candidates for GE15.
However, PKR president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim had announced Chiew’s candidacy during his visit to Miri recently.
In his rallies, Dr Teo said that he has done quite a lot to help Miri’s people during his two terms as MP even though many of these were not publicised.
“The upgrading of Miri Hospital, repairs to several primary and secondary schools… all these were partly due to efforts to bring these local Miri issues to the federal people.
“I have overall helped to secure projects worth about RM20 million for Miri,” he said.
Chiew is facing Datuk Lawrence Lai, who is the candidate for Parti Sarawak Bersatu, and GPS’ Jeffery Phang in a three-cornered fight for Miri. – The Vibes, November 10, 2022
