Chief Minister, Datuk Patinggi Abang Haji Abdul Rahman Zohari announced a one and half month bonus or a minumum of RM2,000 for Sarawak Civil servant to be paid by end of December 2018.

In his winding up speech today at DUN, he said it has been seen and heard that our so call ‘friends’ on the other side are using scare and fear tactics on the administration of Sarawak by continuously questioning the government and insinuating that the government is corrupt and not transparent.

He said there was constantly  continuous erroneous allegations and insinuation of corruption made against him his Ministers and the State Civil Servants without any proof or substantiation is to create the perception to the public that there is something wrong with the State Government. “When they repeat such allegation many times, they are hoping that the people will believe in their stories and will vote against the government. When I took over as the Chief Minister, we had an Integrity Pledge witnessed by Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department and Head of Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC). We are not stupid and do not fear this tactic of the opposition. Ever since (PH) Pakatan Harapan took over the Federal Government they have harboured on corruption as a way to bring down leaders. We are not afraid of such tactics and we are ready to face on any issues that the opposition raised to us without fear or favour.

Abang Jo said a new GPS (Gabungan Parti Sarawak) Government whose policy is to focus on development both rural and urban and to provide service to the rakyat. We will never err in our objectives and will not fail in our delivery as they will continue to abide to the financial procedures as laid under the law and the financial provisions of Treasury Instruction. Don’t ever question our integrity and our sincerity. If our reserves remain so high, our Stable State Credit Rating are A- by Standard and Poor and A3 by Moody’s Investors Service and we have received Clean Certificates for Public Accounts Management by Auditor General for 16 consecutive years, is that not a good testimony of prudent financial management, good governance and excellent State Administration and Civil Service. There is no other state in Malaysia or even the Federal Government having recorded such excellent achievement. To further enhance our excellent achievement and good record of governance I will include The Auditor General to sit in all our project award committee under State Tender Board chaired by The State Financial Secretary. And I will also invite SPRM (Suruhanjaya Pencegahan Rasuah Malaysia) to attend our State Tenders Meetings.

“.I want to repeat again to the members of the opposition in the August House. If you wish to challenge us, challenge us with facts and not simply create perception to the public and make character assassination. That is cheap politics. I want to call on all Sarawakians not to fall prey on this cheap politics of the oppositions. Their objectives are to bring down the government using perception and not using facts because they do not have the facts. I am not governing the State for my own personal benefit. This is about our State and our people and our future. This is not the game of cards and I will not allow this State to be destroyed by cheap politics. Only the State Tenders Board and The State Cabinet decides on projects to be implemented and not by any government heads. The State Secretary, The State Financial Secretary, The State Attorney General, Permanent Secretaries and Head of Departments and their officers and the Civil Servant carry out The Cabinet decisions and directions prudently and effectively. The Chief Minister’s Department is headed by The State Secretary and assisted by three (3) Deputy State Secretaries and nine (9) Directors heading respective Units. Their tasks are well distributed amongst the officers,” he said.

Anang Jo explained that the State Secretary, State Financial Secretary, State Attorney General, Permanent Secretaries and Head of Departments all sit in Government Boards or GLCs (Government Linked Companies) or other government related outfit as directed by the government and a number of their memberships are statutory requirements provided under the various ordinances. They are all governed by the respective Boards. Their role is to safe guard government interest. In their absence they are represented by their Deputies or Directors.  On the subject related to the roles and responsibilities of Ministers, all the ministerial matters are decided and implemented by the respective Ministers and their Permanent Secretaries and not anyone else.

He said all the State Head of Departments and Agencies and the Civil Servants serve the government of the day and they carry out their duties as directed by the government. One must understand in the running of government, one must know the procedures of administration, their roles, area of jurisdiction, limits of authority, statutory requirements, the General Orders and Treasury Instructions and protocols and many more before making accusation against the government system of administration and that the appointment of The State Secretary, The State Financial Secretary and The State Attorney General is at the discretion of the government as provided under the State Constitution. It is not for anyone else including themselves to decide on their tenure. We in the Cabinet are fully satisfied with their performance and they have done their job excellently with integrity and efficiency.