KUCHING, July 30 — Sarawak Deputy Chief Minister Tan Sri Dr James Masing said today that it will be a great mistake for the state government to accept Sarawak Pakatan Harapan’s (PH) offers on oil and gas royalty.
He said oil and gas resources legally belong to the state since they are found in its territory.
“But Sarawak PH chairman Chong Chieng Jen wants to give 20 per cent of that to Sarawak. So who is he giving the balance of 80 per cent to? To Peninsular Malaysia or Petronas?” he asked.
Masing, who is Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) president, said he fails to understand the logic in Sarawak PH’s offers under what it calls its ‘New Deal’ on oil and gas royalty for the state.
Masing was responding to Chong, who earlier today, had assured the state government that it would receive 20 per cent of oil profits from Putrajaya on top of 5 per cent royalty it gets at present.
Chong, who is Stampin Member of Parliament, had also clarified that the 20 per cent oil profit share that the federal government intends to provide to oil-producing states would not replace the 5 per cent oil royalty deal, which exists between the state governments and Petroliam Nasional Berhad.
Parti Bansa Dayak Sarawak (PBDS Baru) information chief Bobby anak William questioned Sarawak PH for imposing conditions for the state government to accept the offer on oil and gas royalty.
He claimed Sarawak PH is willing to compromise Sarawak’s rights by offering a new deal which comes with terms and conditions to state government.
“The way that Chong presents Sarawak PH’s proposals shows that he does not understand the importance of upholding Sarawak’s rights,” he said.
Bobby said Sarawak PH is making it sound as though the oil and gas resources found in the state’s territory belong to the Federal government.
“The resources belong to us, Sarawakians, and that we should be the ones to dictate the terms and conditions, and not those from the federal government,” he said.
