Thursday, 2 July 2015

BN YBs from oil producing states should join forces to demand for oil royalty increase



By See Chee How,
State Assemblyman for Batu Lintang

The 25 BN Members of Parliament from Sarawak must make their stand clear, to fully back the state’s demand for 20% of petroleum royalty, to ensure more equitable and just development and fairer distribution of wealth between Sarawak and the Peninsular Malaysia.

All the BN Members of Parliament from the oil producing states of Sabah, Trengganu and Kelantan should join force and push for this demand of 20% of petroleum royalty for their states to remedy the embarrassing and ironic reality that these states remain the poorest in Malaysia.


We demand that the 25 BN MPs from Sarawak to show that their loyalty lies with Sarawak, and that all Sarawakians are in one voice in our demand for the oil justice.

The PKR Sarawak state Vice Chairman and State assemblyman for Batu Lintang was commenting on the announcement of RM90 million Petronas CSR contribution to Sarawak in Kuching this Wednesday.

“The PM Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak and the federal government should stop thinking that they can pacify Sarawak with provisional handouts. The RM90 million CSR contribution is equivalent to only 1.2% of the 20% petroleum royalty that Sarawak has demanded from the federal government. We thank Petronas for their corporate contribution but we want a firm commitment and disbursement from the federal government to deliver the 20% oil and gas royalty to Sarawak and the other oil producing states."

On May 6 last year, the Sarawak Legislative Assembly has unanimously voted in favour of a motion to demand for an increase in the oil royalty from 5% to 20%.

“The Najib administration has continued to ignore the demand of Sarawak for this oil justice, because the 25 BN MPs from Sarawak has not make their stance to be with the Sarawak state legislative assembly. In fact, they have been keeping quiet and had not express their support to their state BN chief Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Adenan Satem in his numerous public statements pushing for the 20% oil and gas royalty for Sarawak.”

“The federal government is snubbing this demand from Sarawak because they command the full support of the 25 BN MPs from the state. I am disappointed with them. Their defiance to the Chief Minister is a matter for the State BN to deal with, but all Sarawakians are seeing this as a show of lack of allegiance to the state and lack of commitment to stand up for the state’s interests.” - July 2, 2015

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