KUCHING, July 17 — International Trade and e-Commerce Minister Datuk Seri Wong Soon Koh today urged Gabungan Parti Sarawak to be well prepared for the coming state election to avoid an unexpected defeat to Pakatan Harapan.
He said the support for Barisan Nasional had apparently ebbed away in the 14th general election, particularly among the urban voters.
“The forces at work which brought about a change of mind and a big swing to PH among the voters are not difficult to detect, but the change of mind of the voters do pose some intriguing questions,” he said in his winding-up speech at the Sarawak State Assembly here.
In his speech he asked if the victory of PH over the Barisan Nasional can cause a major seismic shift in the Sarawak political landscape.
“We know very well that PH influences which brought about by the fortuitous turns of events, things like wrongful doings of one or two persons or the ill-effects of GST (Goods and Services Tax), may prove to be ephemeral and temporary or could just be a fleeting phase of political development,” he said.
Wong said United People's Party (UPP) expressed its full support to GPS under Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Openg's leadership.
“We would like to reiterate our full support to Abang Johari and rally behind him in his effort to wrest back the state's rights within Malaysia particularly in the oil and gas resources and its operations,” he said.
Wong also questioned if Petroliam Nasional Berhad (Petronas) had a tacit consent of Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad to file court action against the state government over oil and gas resources found within Sarawak's territorial waters.
“If it did then it is clearly contrary to the PH manifesto which promises to restore Sarawak's rights under the Malaysia Agreement 1963,” he said.
“But if Petronas is on a frolic of its own in filing the suit without the knowledge or approval of the prime minister, then it is incumbent on the PH federal government to put a stop to any further actions that Petronas might consider after its initial suit was dismissed by the Federal Court,” he said.
Wong also called on Dr Mahathir to abide by and fulfil the PH manifesto to uphold and restore the rights of the parties to the Malaysia Agreement 1963.
He said the restoration of such rights is clearly inconsistent with the Petronas suit which is premised solely on the Petroleum Development Act 1976.
