By Karen Bong
KUCHING, March 19: The Democratic Action Party Socialist Youth (DAPSY) Sarawak has proposed the formation of a bipartisan committee comprising representatives from both the Democratic Action Party (DAP) and Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) to discuss, negotiate and develop strategies on Sarawak’s oil and gas resources while securing a reliable ally at the federal level.
DAPSY Sarawak’s political education director Jordan Soo Tien Ren announced that this is one of the proposals in the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to seek political cooperation to safeguarding Sarawak’s petroleum and natural gas interests submitted to Sarawak Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg through his office at Wisma Bapa Malaysia today.
Soo highlighted key challenges facing Sarawak’s oil and gas sector, including unresolved constitutional conflicts between the Petroleum Development Act (PDA) 1974 and the Sarawak’s Distribution of Gas Ordinance (DGO) 2016, limited Sarawakian participation in the global energy market due to Petroliam Nasional Berhad’s (PETRONAS) federal control, and the restriction of Petroleum Sarawak Berhad (Petros) as the domestic gas aggregator, excluding liquefied natural gas (LNG).
“To address these challenges, we propose a bipartisan committee that will serve as a platform for open communication between DAP and PBB, involving national DAP leaders to strengthen Sarawak’s position at the federal level.
“The Sarawak government must secure reliable allies to effectively negotiate our interests with Putrajaya,” he told a press conference at DAP Headquarters today.
The proposed committee, according to Soo, would adopt a non-partisan approach focused on Sarawak’s interests rather than political affiliations.
“It would facilitate regular dialogues between DAP and PBB leaders, advocate for joint revenue-sharing models—such as Sarawak holding a 30 per cent stake in PETRONAS —and push for policy and legal reforms to harmonise Sarawak and federal laws governing oil and gas resources.
“The committee will compose of representatives from both DAP and PBB, which should meet regularly and present the report of the committee through motion to both Sarawak Legislative Assembly and Parliament thought appointed State assemblyperson and member of Parliament (MP),” he explained.
Additionally, Soo emphasised the importance of unifying negotiations with the federal government by collaborating with other resource-rich states like Sabah, Kelantan, and Terengganu.
“By forming a coalition with states that share similar resource-based demands, we can strengthen our bargaining power and exert greater pressure on the federal government,” he said.
DAPSY Sarawak also proposed the establishment of a non-partisan caucus in Parliament, similar to the pre-15th General Election (GE15) Borneo Caucus, to consolidate the voices of Sarawak, Sabah, and other states with resource interests.
“This will ensure a collective push for fairer resource governance,” Soo added.
DAPSY Sarawak secretary George Lam, in his remarks, congratulated Datuk Ibrahim Baki on his recent appointment as Deputy Minister of Utility, responsible for Sarawak Energy and Petros.
He noted that PBB now plays an even more crucial role in managing the Sarawak’s petroleum resources, further justifying the need for bipartisan collaboration.
“We see PBB having a bigger role here in the Sarawak government and that’s why we submitted this MoU directly to Sarawak Premier,” he said.
On whether they would seek collaboration with other component parties under Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS), Soo reaffirmed that DAPSY Sarawak is open to working with any party that prioritises the safeguarding of Sarawak’s oil and gas interests.
“This is about Sarawak’s future. We must take constructive steps instead of merely accusing each other. The Premier’s office has received our memorandum, and we hope for a positive response and further discussions on this crucial agenda,” he added.
Through this meaningful collaboration and understanding, DAP and DAPSY Sarawak hopes to work alongside PBB and the Sarawak government to advocate for the interests of Sarawak, ensuring that its resources benefit the people while preserving their rights and identity. — DayakDaily
