By Shikin Louis
KUCHING, May 23: Batu Kitang assemblyman Datuk Lo Khere Chiang has questioned Padungan assemblyman Chong Chieng Jen’s call for Sarawak to demand a 30 per cent equity stake in Petroliam Nasional Berhad (PETRONAS), pointing to past unfulfilled promises made by the Democratic Action Party (DAP) as a reason for skepticism.
Lo recalled that during a previous Sarawak Legislative Assembly (DUS) sitting, Chong had promised that 20 per cent oil royalty and 50 per cent of all taxes collected would be returned to Sarawak by the federal government.
“That promise was reduced to a fairy tale. Somebody even said the Pakatan Harapan (PH) manifesto is not a bible.
“So what makes him (Chong) think that the 30 per cent equity on oil and gas will be granted to us when the 20 per cent oil royalty and 50 per cent of all taxes collected as promised were reduced to a fairytale?” he told a press conference at the DUS Complex here today.
Lo was responding to Chong’s remarks during the DUS debate on the motion of appreciation for Sarawak Governor Tun Pehin Sri Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar’s opening address, where Chong proposed that the Sarawak government push for a 30 per cent ownership stake in the national oil company, PETRONAS.
Chong had also argued that the previous 20 per cent royalty pledge was conditional on Sarawak taking over health and education portfolios from the federal government.
To this, Lo countered that the Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) has consistently been pursuing the return of autonomy over both sectors.
“Even today, we are pursuing the return of autonomy for education and health. So what is Chong talking about?” he said.
Lo further urged Chong, in his capacity as a Member of Parliament (MP), to raise such matters in the Dewan Rakyat rather than framing them as conditional promises in the august House.
Lo also stressed that the federal government has a constitutional responsibility to provide annual allocations for health and education in Sarawak, and that should continue.
“PETRONAS has been siphoning RM80 billion annually from Sarawak’s oil and gas. The least the federal government can do is to continue to grant us our annual allocations for education and health.
“With Sarawak’s RM15 billion revenue at the moment, we can top up these funds and better take care of our hospitals and schools,” Lo said.
Lo also took issue with Chong’s claim that the opposition’s role is to serve as a check and balance on GPS.
He emphasised that Sarawak today takes pride in achieving many firsts, such as having the highest revenue among all Malaysian states at RM15 billion, being the only State with a sovereign wealth fund, planning to introduce free tertiary education in 2026, and enjoying the lowest electricity tariffs, water tariffs, and assessment rates in the country.
“I say Chong should go back to Parliament and check on the government in Malaya,” he remarked.
“I wish to remind all Sarawakians that Malaysia currently carries a national debt of RM1.3 trillion, after siphoning RM80 billion in oil and gas revenue from Sarawak over the past 50 years.
“As part of Malaysia, we are also shouldering a share of this debt. So tell me, where is the fairness in that?” he questioned. – DayakDaily
