Anwar: Corruption, land rights key election issues in Sarawak state polls

MIRI: Unrestrained corruption and unfair land policies will cause people in Sarawak to vote Pakatan Harapan in the next state polls, says PKR president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

"The Native Customary Rights (NCR) problems in Sarawak and the corruption have gone on for far too long. The rakyat will turn to Pakatan, but we must put up a united front," said Anwar.

He said this here on Saturday (Nov 23) when launching the Sarawak PKR Convention and activating the party's state election machinery.

"I want all Pakatan component parties to get ready for the Sarawak state elections. That is our main focus in Sarawak now," said Anwar.

He said that the majority of people in the state are poor and are being left behind by others in the country because the wealth of the state has fallen into the hands of a few corrupt, powerful people.

"The state government keeps saying that the number of poor people is small, but the reality on the ground is very different," said Anwar.

"Go to the longhouses and the villages in the rural areas and you can see serious poverty as well as at the outskirts of urban centres," he added.

Anwar said that Pakatan wants to change this and fight for Sarawakians.

"These are important issues that must be addressed at a national level," said Anwar.

On a separate topic, Anwar said he will be the next prime minister soon as there is an understanding between him and Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad on the transition of power.

"Even though some people are trying to create problems, this power-transition process is already going on. I have already discussed it with him and we are in agreement," said Anwar.

Approximately 1,200 PKR state and national delegates had turned up for the convention, but Sarawak PKR chairman Baru Bian was visibly missing.

PKR secretary-general Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said the Sarawak convention was an important avenue for Federal PKR leaders to meet with party grassroots state leaders here.

"At the national level, we PKR leaders want to meet all the PKR state leaders and grassroots. This is to enhance our ties between federal and state," he said.