KUCHING, May 14: Parti Sarawak Bersatu (PSB) Datuk Seri Wong Soon Koh’s statement that the Sarawak government has settled for RM2 billion instead of RM6.775 billion with Petronas is “highly erroneous”, alleges five Sarawak United Peoples’ Party (SUPP) branches in Sibu.
These five SUPP branches are Bukit Assek, Bawang Assan, Dudong, Pelawan and Nangka.
Last week, Wong made remarks concerning the settlement reached between Petronas and the Sarawak Government where he said State Government should have collected RM 6.775 billion from Petronas and should not have settled for RM2 billion with Petronas.
“Based on documents which we had perused particularly the Sarawak State budget speeches of the Sarawak Chief Minister for years 2019 and 2020, RM 6.775 billion is actually the total sum of State Sales Tax (SST) for 2 years of petroleum products as stipulated clearly in the Sarawak Chief Minister’s state budget speeches which can be found respectively on paragraph 41 page 13 of 2019 Budget Speech and paragraph 41 page 21 of 2020 Budget Speech.
“The summary of the derivation of RM 6.775 billion is as follows :
Years RM
2019 3.897 billion
2020 2.878 billion
Total 6.775 billion
“It is therefore crystal clear that in the Chief Minister’s Budget speeches for 2019 and 2020, RM6.775 billion was the 2-year SST for all petroleum products to be collected from all petroleum companies such as Petronas, Shell etc.
“Therefore, the accusation by Dato Sri Wong Soon Koh that the Sarawak Government has settled for RM2 billion instead of RM6.775 billion with Petronas is highly erroneous,” said the five branches in a statement today.
The statement stressed that the RM2 billion is for the SST payable by Petronas to the Sarawak State Government for the year 2019.
They asserted that since Wong was the State’s Finance Minister for 15 years, he should not have made such misculculation.
According to the press statement, Wong is the longest serving state assemblyman in the political history of Sibu.
Wong became a full time politician in 1987 when he first represented SUPP contesting in Igan constituency whereby he lost by a mere 27 votes to David Tiong Chiong Chu of Kumpulan Maju.
However, he managed to make it in Bawang Assan since 1991 Sarawak Election, and continues to represent the constituency for the next consecutive five terms until today, spanning over a period of nearly 29 years.
Wong became the full minister representing SUPP after former SUPP president Dr Wong Soon Kai failed to defend his Bukit Assek seat in 1996 State election. — DayakDaily
