SAPA stages peaceful protest against Shell and Petronas, demands better benefits for Sarawak

MIRI, Sept 15, 2014: Sarawak Association for Peoples’ Aspiration (Sapa) staged a peaceful protest against Shell and Petronas here today.

Picture (left): The protesters expressing their demands

SAPA president Lina Soo later handed over a protest note to the two oil and gas companies, demanding for better and greater benefits to the state and its people.

"We feel that the state has not been getting a fair deal all the while," she said.

Soo said that Sarawak is rich in oil, but today about 50,000 Ibans are working in Johor Bahru which shows that Sarawak cannot even employ its own people in oil and gas industry.

She said SAPA felt that Shell and Petronas had failed to really benefit the people of Sarawak and this was most disgraceful.

“What we want is for Shell and Petronas to give contracts to eligible local companies as

well as giving more jobs to Sarawakians.

“I don’t have the statistics but we know from facts that there are more ‘Malayans’ being employed, particularly as senior management staff… they are not Sarawakians,” she stressed.

She lamented that in the past, Shell used to provide technical training for Sarawakians

but apparently even that programme now has also been terminated.

Picture (right): Soo handing over a protest note to the representative of Sarawak Shell (in white shirt)

“In view of this, I am sure all Sarawakians will agree that actually we should benefit more from oil and gas resources in the state compared with what we are getting now,” Soo

asserted.

Soo thanked the police for allowing them to protest and Petronas for its cooperation.

Among those taking part in the protest were Miri Member of Parliament Dr Michael Teo, Pujut State Assemblyman Fong Pau Teck and Sarawak Dayak Iban Association (Sadia) secretary general Nicholas Mujah.