KUCHING, April 20 2026: The state government should not have agreed to pay RM1.8 billion in compensation for the take-over of Bintulu Port from the federal government, Parti Bumi Kenyalang (PBK) president Voon Lee Shan has argued.
“Why should Sarawak pay RM1.8 billion to reclaim Bintulu Port when the land, the resources, and the wealth have always belonged to Sarawak?” he asked in a statement.
He was responding to a disclosure by Premier Abang Johari Openg yesterday that the state government has agreed to pay RM1.8 billion compensation, plus goodwill, instead of RM4.8 billion as demanded by the federal government, for the take-over of the port.
Addressing the Gabungam Parti Sarawak (GPS) convention, he said the asset value of the port was RM1.1 billion.
Voon said that for decades, the federal government controlled Bintulu Port like it was a federal territory, collecting enormous revenue from one of the most strategic ports in the state.
He said the offshore fields off Bintulu have produced vast oil and gas riches for generations, asking:”
Did Sarawak receive fair compensation? Did our people enjoy the full benefit of what was extracted from our own backyard?”
“Now we are told that Sarawak must pay RM1.8 billion as compensation to take back control of the port.
“Compensation for what exactly?” he asked.
Voon also asked if compensation was paid to Sarawak when the federal government took control of the port.
“Was rent paid for the use of Sarawak’s land? Was the people’s consent ever truly sought?
“If no compensation was paid then, why must compensation be demanded now?” he asked.
“For over 60 years, we have heard endless committees, endless negotiations, and endless promises. Yet when it comes to reclaiming strategic assets, Sarawak is still expected to pay for what should never have been taken without proper recognition in the first place.
“The people deserve transparency. They deserve to know the legal basis, the historical facts, and why such a massive payment is necessary.
“A government that truly puts Sarawak first must not negotiate from weakness. It must negotiate from principle,” Voon said.
No comments:
Post a Comment