KUCHING, June 30: Former Batu Lintang assemblyman Voon Lee Shan appealed to all Sarawakian lawyers not to lend their legal services to Petronas and labelled any Sarawakian lawyers helping the oil giant as “traitors”.
He said in the Petronas versus Sarawak government standoff over the state’s oil and gas resources, Petronas can still file the suit in the High Court in Sarawak.
“Being Sarawakians, we have to protect the Sarawak side. I plead, I beg — we plead and we beg that no lawyers from Sarawak should allow their law firms or themselves to help Petronas to file the suit in the High Court of Kuching because Petronas can’t file this suit without a law firm from Sarawak.
“That is the requirement of the law and it is mentioned in the constitution. We beg and we pray, no lawyers from Sarawak will assist Petronas to file this suit in the Kuching High Court.
“As I will pray that the AGC (Attorney General’s Chamber) and the Sarawak government will aggressively, as well as the bar council here, oppose all Malayan lawyers to file suit to argue this case.
“I will deem any lawyer from Sarawak or their law firm who assist Petronas in this endeavour, I condemn them as traitors,” Voon told a press conference organised by Sarawak for Sarawakians (S4S) here today.
Voon who did not agree with the Pakatan Harapan manifesto of giving Sarawakians merely 20 per cent oil and gas royalties, urged the people to continue to fight on.
“We want 100 per cent back and (including) damages from the federal government. I want them to pay. I know it will be a tough battle because of the lack of locus standi,” he said.
However, he said he and others joining the legal team organised by former Padungan assemblyman Dominique Ng would take the lead and should they fail, the next generation should continue the fight.
He also pointed out that the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) must be enforced, clinging on to the promise of first Prime Minister the late Tunku Abdul Rahman that any breach of MA63, Sarawak may leave the federation anytime.
He also called on Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg to be serious in this matter and to fight on.
“We will stand behind him, solidly behind him,” said Voon.
Voon also pointed out that Petronas could not have filed the suit without Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad and Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng agreeing to it because Petronas could not act without a directive from Dr Mahathir.
He said for Petronas to file the case in the Federal Court in Putrajaya was a political move to force the Sarawak government to come to the discussion table. — DayakDaily
