KUCHING, August 12: Sarawak United Peoples’ Party (SUPP) has proposed that the state government allocate a share in Petroleum Sarawak Berhad (Petros) to all Sarawakians to enable them to benefit directly from the state’s oil and gas resources.
Its president, Datuk Dr Sim Kui Hian, said this proposal was among the 11 resolutions passed by the party’s annual delegates’ conference (ADC) held here today.
The Local Government and Housing Minister said the money could be disbursed by giving RM2,000 to each family when a member passed away and RM2,000 when there was a newborn joining the family.
Dr Sim calculated that this initiative would amount to roughly RM94 million a year, based on the statistics that 12,000 people die and 35,000 babies are born in the state on average annually.
The ADC also resolved and confirmed SUPP to be a member of Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) together with Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB), Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) and Progressive Democratic Party (PDP), but with “10 understandings” to ensure the local pact would not be like the Barisan Nasional (BN) — old wine in a new bottle.
Dr Sim said the “10 understandings” were similar to the eight-point understanding that the party put forth when it first agreed to join the Barisan Nasional (BN).
“It is not because we set pre-conditions but because we only have one chance to get GPS right before the next state election,” said Dr Sim, at a press conference after the ADC.
He, however, declined to name the 10 conditions as it had yet to be submitted to Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg.
Apart from giving full support to the formation of GPS, SUPP also resolved to give full support to Abang Johari to lead the alliance.
Meanwhile, SUPP also resolved to urge the state government to amend the Sarawak Land Code to allow for the conversion of leasehold titles in all residential areas in towns, sub-urban areas and agricultural land owned by private individuals to freehold titles that are free from payment of premiums and other costs.
Another resolution involved the provision of free public transport in Kuching, Sibu, Bintulu, Miri and other towns as soon as possible.
The party also resolved to give full support to the state government to continue defending the state’s ownership of its oil and gas resources, as well as to uphold Sarawak’s rights under the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63). — DayakDaily
