KUCHING, May 6: Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg rubbished claims he gave out RM2.1 billion in Petronas contracts to family members and cronies.
The allegation was made by Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) Batu Lintang assemblyman See Chee How during a Pakatan Harapan (PH) ‘ceramah’ at BDC on Saturday night. He claimed that the contracts were given when Petronas CEO Tan Sri Wan Zulkiflee Wan Ariffin came to Sarawak last year.
“No, no, no such thing. Unless he’s talking about my brother (Datuk Abang Abdul Karim Tun Openg) being the Chairman of Brooke Dockyard and Engineering Works Corporation, then no,” Abang Johari told reporters after attending a dialogue session with the media at the old State Assembly building here also on Saturday night.
Brooke Dockyard and Engineering Works Corporation was awarded two contracts totalling RM479 million from Petronas last year for work related to its gas development projects offshore Sarawak.
The contracts are for wellhead platforms at its Bokor phase 3 redevelopment and a wellhead platform and a jacket at the Anjung gas development projects.
Back at the PH ‘ceramah’, See further mentioned that Abang Johari abandoned the idea of claiming 20 per cent oil and gas royalty for Sarawak because he was silenced by the RM2.1 billion contracts.
“Petronas came to Sarawak last year to meet with Abang Johari, and announced RM2.1 billion worth of oil and gas contracts in Sarawak to be given to Sarawak contractors. But none of these were given to Petroleum Sarawak Berhad (Petros) which is said to be a company of Sarawak, but was given to close relatives of Abang Johari, his friends, cronies and all those bank guys in Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB).
“Now we know why Abang Johari is so quiet about claiming all these rights for Sarawak from the federal government because of his own personal interest. He will not antagonise Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak because he will lose all his interest,” said See. — DayakDaily
