Opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim’s party colleagues in Sarawak have already drawn up a list of mega-projects they want to see scrapped, frozen for immediate audit and reviewed the moment he takes control of parliament.

"Development projects will take on a new meaning when Pakatan Rakyat is in government," said PKR Sarawak legal advisor See Chee How in a statement.

"As far as PKR Sarawak is concerned, several mega projects proposed and implemented by the state BN ostensibly for Sarawakians but crony companies with strong family connection to the top Sarawak political leaders are the direct and main beneficiaries have long been identified," he said.

See’s comments comes hot on the heels of Anwar’s announcement on Tuesday that all mega- projects would be reviewed, and only those that would actually benefit the people would be retained.

anwar ibrahim exclusive pre permatang pauh interview 130808 07 Anwar, a former deputy prime minister and finance minister, said this in Permatang Pauh where he is launching his comeback bid.

The politician has promised to overturn the current parliamentary majority and form a new government by Sept 16.

Anwar’s Pakatan Rakyat alliance - comprising PKR, DAP and PAS - currently holds 82 of the 222 parliamentary seats, but the 61-year old stalwart is banking on crossovers from the ruling Barisan Nasional coalition to help him reverse the majority if he wins the Permatang Pauh by-election and officially returns to parliament.

On the chopping board are the RM15.2 billion high-speed broadband services project, a double tracking and undersea cable project, the 12 hydro-power dams recently proposed by the state authorities and a host of smaller contracts.

Stop cronyism and nepotism

Meanwhile, See said the cronyism and nepotism which has robbed Sarawakians of their wealth must come to an end. "PKR will put a stop to that once and for all."

See, who is also Stampin division chairperson, added that projects which had not gone through an open tender system and those which had been awarded to companies with close connection to the reigning political elites will be openly audited and results made known to all Sarawakians.

He also promised to bring out and air publicly disputes and issues related to native land rights.

"After 45 years, it is no longer acceptable to say that Sarawak’s rural population lives too sparsely and remotely to have their basic rights to health, education and basic necessities," he said.

Resource-rich Sarawak has been controlled by Chief Minister Taib Mahmud since 1981. The Barisan Nasional strongman has through the decades fended off the opposition, helping his Umno-led grouping to maintain its stranglehold on the state. Even now, the opposition holds only nine seats in the state assembly, while the BN has 62 seats.