KUCHING, Sept 30: Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) Youth chief Datuk Snowdan Lawan wants the state government to take legal action and apply for an injunction against Petronas to cease operations in the state if it fails to pay Sarawak’s 5 per cent oil and gas sales tax by October 31.
According to Snowdan in a statement, since Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad had mentioned that granting 20 per cent oil royalty to Sarawak was “not workable”, then Sarawak should flex its muscles and get back what is rightfully hers.
“After squandering our riches for these few decades, now we are expecting Petronas to pay us by October 31 the sales tax due and we don’t expect the same reason to resurface.
“Failing which, Sarawak is left with little choice except to pursue it via legal (re)course, and if necessary to apply for an injunction to force Petronas to withhold operations pending payment of the sales tax being resolved,” Snowdan opined.
The Assistant Minister of Youth and Sports said it was unbecoming for the Prime Minister to deprive Sarawak from fulfiling its people’s aspirations, adding that apart from not being able to fulfill their election promises, the Pakatan Harapan (PH) federal government could not even honour what has been legally enshrined in the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63).
“If over the past many decades it has been hidden from our intelligence, and only to be aware now, it is only right for us to demand back the rightful; ratification, in a sense.
“The idea of appealing to Sarawak on some formula on how they could give us back our money, but snuffing the 20 per cent royalty is merely a buying-time manoeuvre, and not trustworthy even at face value.” — DayakDaily
