By
Simon Peter
KUCHING,
June 6, 2014: Sarawak PKR vice chairman See Chee How has strongly defended the
Sarawak State Legislative in tabling a motion to seek an increase in the oil
and gas royalties from 5% to 20%.
The
motion, tabled by Semop State Assemblyman Abdullah Saidol, who is also the
State BN Backbenchers Club chairman, was unanimously approved by the State
legislators from both the BN and Opposition parties last month.
Responding
to an article entitled "Is oil
royalty hike the solution?" published by the Edge weekly publication on
May 28, See said the article was a " typically knee-jerked reaction or
rhetoric of Malayan politicians and writers who probably are not familiar with
the territorial features of Sabah and Sarawak and the delicate intuition of the
East Malaysian communities may be hurtful and divisive. "
Picture: See (centre) says it is Sarawak's rights to ask for an increase in oil and gas royalties
Defending
the rights of Sarawak to ask for an increase in oil and gas royalties from 5%
to 20%, See said: “The issue of Sarawak and other oil producing Malaysian
states asking for an increase in oil and gas royalties from 5% to 20% must be
examined and deliberated in a critical yet rational manner, taking into
consideration the sensitivity of the East Malaysians in this matter.”
“It
lays bare our consciousness towards mutual understanding between the people
from the Borneo states and Malaya for a meaningful national integration which
until now still rings empty.”
"The
Pakatan Rakyat coalition had made its pledge to increase the oil and gas
royalties from 5% to 20% when it comes to power. The BN coalition government is
hesitant and reluctant.
"The
writer - Madiha Fuad - had actually
recognised that Sabah and Sarawak are the least developed despite them being
the richest states in the Federation.
"But
his arguments against the two Borneo states for improved and enlarged share of
the exploit from their petroleum deposits was, uncharacteristically quoting
unnamed market observers and industry analysts, questioning Sarawak’s wealth
management, that the state has large revenue base with several uncompleted or
pending projects.
"Undoubtedly,
the new Sarawak state administration must address the issue of fair
distribution of opportunity in the operation, utilization and management of the
state’s endowment of rich natural resources and make use of the wealth thereby
generated to bring greater development and improve the lives of all
Sarawakians.
"However,
it is nonsensical to suggest that Sarawak must show the state government can make
good use of the money before it is entitled to ask for oil and gas royalty
hike. As if the federal administration is free from leakages, corruption,
wastages and financial mismanagement.
"Since
the Auditor General’s Reports were referred to, the writer and his group of
unnamed market observers and industry analysts should be equally objective and
critical with the federal fund management or mismanagement?
"Pick
any one of the national scandals and recover the monies misappropriated and
that alone is enough to pay the oil producing states their entitlement for a
good number of years.
"What
about disclosing the Petronas monies received by the federal government
annually, as well as those in the
Production Sharing Agreements (PSCs), compare to the oil producing
states?
"And
please be frank. The federal government wholly owns Petronas. In contrast,
there is no equity holding in Petronas for the oil producing states?
"The
most interesting being the writer’s comparison of annual budgets between
Sarawak (RM4.2 billion), Sabah (RM4.1 billion) and Trengganu (RM2 billion) with
Selangor (“country’s most developed state”) of RM1.6 billion for this year.
“
Is that an issue when Sarawak and Sabah has a budget 2.5 times that of Selangor
with their land sizes 15 times (Sarawak 124.450 sq km) and 7 times (Sabah
73,631 sq km) bigger than Selangor (8,104 sq km).”
”This
quite sums up the ignorance and prejudice to keep the East Malaysian way
behind,” See expressed his disgust.
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