KUCHING, Sept 12 — The third meeting of the committee set up to find commercial solutions over Sarawak’s petroleum sales tax claim will held in Kuching on September 17, said Senior Works Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof.

He said the meeting would be held to get updates on what the working committee has achieved so far.

“Hopefully we will get the actual report on what has been agreed upon as well as what they (the federal government) are not able to resolve.

“Then we will refer it to the highest committee which is between the Prime Minister (Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin) and Chief Minister (Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Openg),” he told reporters after attending the My Malaysia Day art exhibition here.

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Fadillah said he hoped that both parties would be able to iron out whatever disagreements in this upcoming meeting.

The committee had been set up to facilitate negotiations between the Sarawak and federal governments and it was co-chaired by Fadillah and Finance Minister Datuk Seri Tengku Zafrul Abdul Aziz, together with the Sarawak government and Petronas.

The committee convened its first meeting on June 17 at the Ministry of Finance and it was attended by the Sarawak delegation led by Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan, as well as representatives from Petronas.

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On August 3, at the Court of Appeal, Petronas withdrew its appeal over its failed judicial review application against the Sarawak government and the state’s Comptroller of State Sales Tax regarding the RM2 billion sales tax issue.

Likewise, the Sarawak government also withdrew its cross-appeal over the issue of the High Court’s jurisdiction over the state Sales Tax. — Bernama