KUCHING, June 8 — Back in the saddle after winning his first mandate as Sarawak chief minister, Tan Sri Adenan Satem will today begin the task of fulfilling the one promise that earned him last month’s stunning victory — reclaiming Sarawak’s rights.

Leaders in the hornbill state said voters will want to collect on the decisive win they had given Adenan, while the state’s opposition, despite their reduced numbers, will hold the leader to his pledges.

Already, two motion notices from the opposition have been submitted and will likely set the mood for the first meeting of Sarawak's new assembly term, which begins today with the swearing in of the state’s 82 newly-elected lawmakers.

In his notice, PKR’s Batu Lintang assemblyman See Chee How is seeking clarification from Putrajaya on media reports that a Russian oil firm has designs on Petronas’ assets in Sarawak.

"Numerous Petronas oil and gas fields including those with existing petroleum sharing contracts signed are located within the territorial waters of Sarawak," he pointed out in his notice.

Russian news agency Tass recently quoted Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak as saying that state-owned oil firm Zarubezhneft was interested in acquiring Petronas assets.

See said the federal government must give an assurance that the state has the power and rights to participate in all negotiations involving Petronas assets within Sarawak's territory.

The Sarawak PKR chief added that prior consent from the assembly should be sought in any future transactions involving the national oil firm’s state assets.

State DAP chairman Chong Chieng Jen, on the other hand, submitted a motion notice saying the first assembly meeting is the most “appropriate time” to set clear the state government’s agenda on autonomy.

"It is now time for the chief minister to honour his electoral pledges by setting the agendas in this first state assembly sitting on the issue of autonomy.

"The state government, without undue delay, proceeds with its demand and negotiation with the federal government for autonomy in taxation, education, health care and internal affairs," he said in his notice.

State Reform Party (STAR) president Lina Soo said she hopes the eight-day assembly will witness lawmakers across the divide pressing Adenan for his plans in the months ahead.

The former Sarawak Association for People’s Aspirations (SAPA) president said the discussion should among others include returning Sarawak’s autonomous powers as enshrined in the Malaysia Agreement 1963.

"It is no use talking about the state's rights during the campaign in the elections only to fish for votes.

"I hope they continue to talk about those rights in the house until what we demand are achieved," said Soo, who fought against See in the May 7 polls but lost her deposit.

Similarly, Associate Professor Dr Jeniri Amir of Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS) said he expects the assembly to discuss issues on state rights and state-federal ties.

"They have been talking about these issues during the election campaign and so they must carry it on," he said.

"I also expect the chief minister to remind Barisan Nasional's (BN) lawmakers to work hard to serve their constituents who have voted for them in the election," he said.

The academic added that lawmakers from the state’s rural interiors will also raise the need for bigger allocations for infrastructure development in their constituencies.

The cry for greater autonomy has for years been an emotive issue in Sarawak, born of the decades of simmering discontent among the state’s many indigenous communities who have grown tired of playing second fiddle to their brethren across the South China Sea.

Adenan, during the launch of BN’s 15-point election manifesto before the May 7 polls, had offered measures to help the state claim its status as an equal partner in the federation, as well as his commitment to protecting the state’s rights as enshrined in the Federal Constitution, Malaysia Agreement 1963, Inter-Governmental Committee Report and the Cobbold Commission Report.

Among others, Team Adenan’s manifesto pledged to safeguard peace and harmony in the state; preserve Sarawak cultures, heritage and beliefs; protect and conserve the natural environment; provide more affordable housing for low and middle income groups; and advance education and technical training.

These promises and Adenan’s popularity among Sarawak voters have been credited for BN’s stunning victory in the May 7 polls. The ruling pact under Adenan surpassed previous predictions when it took 72 of the 82 seats up for grabs, leaving the opposition with just 10 seats in the House.