KUCHING, July 31: Petroleum Sarawak Berhad (Petros) should replace the national oil company Petroliam Nasional Berhad (Petronas), asserts Sarawak for Sarawakians (S4S).
S4S representative Tan Kok Chiang said based on the Sarawak Oil Mining Ordinance (OMO) 1958, Sarawak has full rights to explore and exploit the oil resources within and offshore Sarawak.
Petros is a state-owned oil and gas exploration firm which was officially launched on March 6 this year.
Citing statistics from 2017, Tan said a barrel of crude oil was calculated at USD60, excluding natural gas. With 850,000 barrels of crude oil per day in and offshore, the estimated income is RM29.7 billion a year.
S4S had previously asked the state government to use 60 per cent of this revenue (oil and gas) for infrastructure development and the remaining 40 per cent as funds for Sarawakians.
In a statement today, Tan said the 40 per cent fund was equivalent to about RM4,582 per Sarawakian.
“This amount can definitely help and alleviate the current economic downturn in Sarawak. This money should be allocated for all Sarawakians, including newborn Sarawakian babies,” he said.
Meanwhile, Tan claimed that Sarawakians were not pleased with Pakatan Harapan (PH) Sarawak’s ‘new deal’ that was announced yesterday. Under the offer, the state government would get 20 per cent of oil profits on top of the five per cent oil royalty it currently gets.
“This is simply outrageous. The PH team, being professional lawyers, should lead by example and respect the Sarawak decree, instead of taking actions that despise the Sarawak Constitution and deceive the people of Sarawak,” he said.
Tan advised Baru Bian, who is the Works Minister, and Chong Chieng Jen, who is the Deputy Minister of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs, to just concentrate on their ministerial duties to help Sarawakians face the rising cost of living and to bring more development to the state.
Tan reiterated that S4S would stand behind Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg in insisting for 100 per cent oil and gas sovereignty. — DayakDaily
