KUCHING, April 11 — Sarawakians have every right to deserve a share from the wealth of the state’s oil and gas resources by enjoying lower price in petrol, diesel and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) cylinders sold through Petroleum Sarawak Berhad (Petros), said Pending assemblywoman Violet Yong.
She contended that Sarawak and its people cannot remain deprived of the real fruits of the management and development of their own oil and gas resources.
“If the Sarawak state government is willing and has been so generous to share the wealth from the oil and gas with Petronas since 1974 till today, why deprive the rights of Sarawakians from getting such special treatment?” she asked in a statement yesterday.
She said Sarawak Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg had even made this promise to the people of Sarawak during one of the Petros’ launching events held before the 12th State Election.
According to her, Abang Johari had said that if Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) managed to win big in the state election, he would look into ways to let Sarawakians enjoy special LPG cylinder price.
“It is hoped that the Premier of Sarawak will not go back on his word but commit to fulfilling the promise. After all, GPS has already won more than two-thirds majority in the last state election and given the mandate to govern Sarawak,” said Yong.
She said with billions in annual revenue pumping into the state’s coffers from oil and gas resources, the Sarawak government should be able to afford giving better prices to Sarawakians.
“It is only a matter of whether our Sarawak government has the strong political will to make it happen or not,” she opined.
The assemblywoman also stressed that her call to Abang Johari to lower the prices of petroleum products was valid and not to ‘win brownie points’ as stated by Tupong asseblyman Fazzrudin Abdul Rahman.
“The fact that the federal government has already subsidised the prices of petrol, diesel and LPG cylinders does not mean that the Sarawak government is stopped or prohibited under any written law from giving further subsidy to it,” she said.
She believes it is the wish of the majority of Sarawakians for the state government to utilise part of the revenue gained through the oil and gas resources as subsidy for the petroleum products sold through Petros.
Under the Oil Mining Ordinance 1958, Yong said the Sarawak government has all the control in regulating the oil and gas resources in Sarawak.
“The most direct and practical way in letting Sarawakians have a bite of the big pie is thus to get Petros to sell petrol, diesel and LPG cylinders at a price which is the cheapest in Malaysia,” she added. — Borneo Post Online
