KUCHING, Sept 19: Parti Bumi Kenyalang (PBK) demands that the Perikatan Nasional (PN) federal government repeal all the laws that have eroded Sarawak’s rights, rather than making amendments which was impossible without a two-third majority.
Its president Voon Lee Shan pointed out that the PN or even the Pakatan Harapan (PH) government could restore Sarawak’s rights to marine wealth, territory, territorial waters, oil and gas by simply repealing Petroleum Development Act 1974 (PDA74), Sea Territorial Act 2012 (TSA 2012) and Continental Shelf Act 1966 (TSA 1966) in federal parliament.
“But why (are they) not done? Now, GPS (Gabungan Parti Sarawak) (is) part of the federal government, why not repeal the relevant laws that were used to legally plundered our resources?
“There is no need to amend Article 1(2) of the Federal Constitution at the moment when there is no two-third majority to do this,” he criticised in a statement responsing to the reactions over Petronas settling full payment of State Sales Tax (SST) on petroleum products, totalling about RM2.95 billion to the state government.
Voon hit out at all political parties on both sides of the divide for “harping” on how to restore rights lost to Peninsular Malaysia when he claimed they did not do anything to put things right when they had the power in their hands.
“What had DAP, PKR or even YBs (elected representatives) in GPS and PSB done when power was in your hands? Now DAP is blaming GPS for accepting the SST.
“PH government under (Tun) Dr Mahathir (Mohamad) of which DAP and PKR was part of had been playing politics about the issue.
“Why have to follow them wanting to amend the constitution when knowing very well two-third majority was difficult to garner? To amend Article 1(2) without repealing the relevant laws that were used to legally plundered our wealth will not work at all,” he said.
He said that the last three years had just been gimmickry to pull the wool over the eyes of Borneo people about trying to restore lost rights of Sabah and Sarawak.
He also believed that there was nothing to be happy about or that there was a need to thank Petronas for paying the SST when the money belonged to Sarawak.
“Should you say thank you to (the) ATM or the bank when you take money? It’s your money (so) why have to thank the ATM or the bank? Why (do) you have to congratulate the ATM or bank for this?
“This sum in the form of SST (has) been taken back, and it is our money. Why should we thank Petronas for this? Why should we be happy? Furthermore, SST is imposed on goods sold in Sarawak like tyres and motor vehicles. It is a law not only for oil and gas,” he pointed out.
The payment for SST, he continued, was part of the wealth Sarawak lost after PDA74 was passed in Parliament.
“We want all wealth lost to be returned to us. We want things 100 per cent lost to be returned to us,” he added. — DayakDaily
