"Now that the nice and cordial approach as adopted by the State BN is getting us no way in this aspect, we need stronger and harsher measures to implement the resolution of this House."
By Simon Peter
KUCHING, April 27, 2015. - An Opposition state
assemblyman has invited the State Barisan Nasional to join forces with national
Pakatan Rakyat (PR) to change the federal government so to make good the State
Assembly's resolution demanding for an increase in the oil and gas royalty from
5% to 20%.
"Join with national Pakatan Rakyat to change the
Federal Government. Sabah BN MPs will
also join us together to get the 20% oil royalty," Kota Sentosa State
Assemblyman Chong Chieng Jen said in the Sarawak State Assembly when debating
the Sarawak Governor's opening address.
He said PR has 86 MPs, PSM 1 and Sarawak BN has 25,
making the total 112 MPs, which is enough to form the federal government.
"Sabah BN, with 22 MPs, will follow suit," he
said.
 |
| Chong Chieng Jen |
Alternatively, Chong, who is also Sarawak DAP boss,
suggested that the state uses its Immigration to powers and cancel the ork
permits of all the West Malaysian currently employed at the executive and
managerial levels in the offices of Petronas, MLNGs and their subsidiary
companies in Sarawak.
"This will put a halt to its operation and
production until the matter is finally sorted out. It is better to put a halt to the production
than to allow the continuous extraction when we only get 5% royalty.
"After all, if the operation were stopped, the oil
and gas will still remain in our soil for future extraction. We may suffer temporary loss of part of our
revenue, but in long term, there is no loss to Sarawak.
"We have prohibited religious bigots and extremists
from entering Sarawak. Add on to the
list, prohibits the robbers from plundering our resources.
He added:"Almost a year after the unanimous resolution
in this August House on the 20% oil and gas royalty, it is clear that such
demand is going no way. The Chief
Minister is hitting brick walls on this matter and has to openly seek help of
the Prime Minister so that Petronas will accede to our claim.
"Do not be so naïve about the so-called PM’s help.
Petronas is a company controlled by the Federal Government. If PM agrees to accede to our demand for the
20% oil and gas royalty, there is no way that Petronas can NOT agree to it.
"If one will to take into consideration of the oil
royalty for the Federal Government, declared dividend and the tax revenue on
the profits of Petronas, the Federal Government in total, is getting about 30 –
40% of the total revenue from the production of oil and gas from Sarawak. We, instead, are getting 5%.
"Therefore, the demand of 20% is fair and necessary
to put us Sarawak as equal partners with the Federated State of Malaya.
"Now that the nice and cordial approach as adopted
by the State BN is getting us no way in this aspect, we need stronger and
harsher measures to implement the resolution of this House," Chong said.
On Chief Minister Tan Sri Adenan Satem's performance
since taking office over a year ago, he said it is abundantly clear that many
announcements of his new policies have been neutralised or rendered ineffective
by the BN policies and the government agencies.
"I have said before, to reform the system is not an
easy task. YAB will face many obstacles within the BN parties and his government
administration. What is required is a
strong political will.
"YAB wants a better Sarawak for Sarawakians. We DAP
also wants a better Sarawak for Sarawakians and we believe that can only be
achieved through Transparency, Good Governance, fair policies and a strong
opposition to provide Check and Balance.
"As YAB has previously said that he is willing to
listen to the Opposition and work with the Opposition, I, on behalf of the
Opposition, wish to say that we are also of like mind. We can co-operate and work with the
Government, not in the sense of joining BN, but by pointing out the
short-comings of the Administration.
"Our words may be harsh, our criticism may be
strong, but our intention is good.
"I believe, together we can rid the dead woods and
the rotten apples in BN and the administration and strive for a better Sarawak
for all Sarawakians, Not a Sarawak for a few privileged Sarawakians or selected
Sarawakian families," he said.
Chong listed among Adenan's announcements since becoming
chief minister on Feb 28, 2014:
1. He
lowered the electricity tariffs. But the
effect is now neutralised by the introduction of the GST and also the cheating
by SESCO in issuing the bills bi-monthly instead of monthly, thus subject their
customers to higher tariff rates.
2. He
talks about integrity and good governance but:
(a) Eight days after he came into office, the State
Secretary signed the notorious Agreement to sell the land opposite MJC
commercial Centre to Standard Paradeat grossly undervalued price,
short-changing the State government by at least RM400 million. Until today, the State Secretary is still
sitting comfortably in his position;
(b) the
award of the RM300 million new Museum project to CMS Berhad without open tender
reminiscent that of the previous administration;
(c) the
award of the Pan Borneo Highway project, the largest infrastructure work in
Sarawak, without open tender.
(d) the
State-owned Sarawak Energy Bhd is entering into agreements with internationally
renowned corrupt French power company, Alstom which has plead guilty in US for
giving bribe to obtain contract works and is also under heavy investigation by
Swiss and French authorities.
3. He
talks about recognising the UEC if he has the power but when he was informed that
he has to power to do so in the matter relating to the employment of State
civil service, a motion tabled in this House for the recognition of UEC for
that matter was rejected.
4. He
talks about 20% oil and gas royalty for Sarawak and had a motion passed in this
August House but almost a year has passed, yet nothing comes out of it.
5. He
talks about protecting Sarawakians’ interest, but when GST was introduced, he
is helplessly when Sarawakian kena Gigit Sampai Tulang (GST).
With the State having its rights on Sales Tax on top of
GST, Sarawakian will be paying double taxes on oil palm products, vehicle tyres
and 4-D tickets. Pan Borneo Highway projects, decision-making process is
controlled by the Board of Directors of LBU, where West Malaysians are in the
majority.
6. He
talks about closing down the internet gambling centres, but three months later,
many internet gambling centres are back in business, now some even with the
local council’s entertainment licences to operate legally with “machine ikan”.
7. He
talks about preserving the forests and thus go hard on illegal loggings.
The
main culprits are the legal logging activities.
Annually, 10m3 of timber produce against the illegal logs of 47,000 m3
in 2004.
On the appointment of Lebuhraya Borneo Utara Sdn Bhd as
the main contractor for the RM27 billion Pan Borneo Highway did not go through
an open tender process, Chong said it is a direct-negotiated award of the
largest infrastructure project in Sarawak
He said though LBU has a registered address in Sarawak,
but four out of seven of its directors are West Malaysian. It is literally controlled by West
Malaysians.
"Though it is claimed that the works will be
distributed amongst Sarawak contractors, but these Sarawak contractors will
only be sub-contractors while the main contractor, LBU, will get the lion share
of the profit, the so-called AliBaba Commission.
"Even during the initial rounds of meetings, the
engineers from the Kementerian Kerjaraya Malaysia, headed by the West Malaysian
officers, have been very condescending towards the local engineers and
consultants, demanding that the local engineers design the highway with cheaper
and lower-quality designs, so as to reduce the costs of construction.
"There are also political implication and
ramification of this project. Basically,
this LBU is controlled by the Bustari Yusuf group who has close links to the
top leaders of UMNO. They are also
aligned to the Federal Minister Fadilah faction within the PBB.
"The implementation of this project will be carried
out for at least the next eight years.
During this period, the sub-contractors and/or the sub-sub-contractors
will be beholden to this group. In other
words, the UMNO top leaders will yield their controls over the payments to the
sub-contractors. When one controls the
money source, he controls a lot of other things.
"I urge the government to be more wary on this
aspect and its political impact. Let it
not be an opening for direct UMNO influence to set foot in Sarawak.
"To avoid such scenario, I propose that the State
Government put its foot down now, at this initial stage and take over the
shareholdings and directorship of LBU, after all it is only a shelf company,
incorporated for the special purpose of getting the Pan Borneo Highway
project. Formed in 2012, it has no
whatsoever track record in construction or any commercial activities,"
Chong suggested.
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