by DayakDaily Team
KUCHING, Feb 9: The Sarawak United Peoples’ Party (SUPP) Central has called out Sarawak DAP for its failure to fight for the State’s oil and gas rights in Parliament, accusing the party of prioritising political gain over genuine advocacy for the State’s rights.
In a statement today, SUPP Central Publicity Secretariat pointed out that despite its significant influence in the Federal government, DAP has yet to take concrete action to secure greater autonomy for Sarawak.
“As a party holding the most government seats in Parliament (40 seats), DAP is in the best position to influence Federal decisions.
“However, whether during their first tenure in government in 2018 or now as a key component of the Federal administration, what exactly has DAP done in Parliament or the Cabinet to secure greater oil and gas rights for Sarawak?
“We have never seen Sarawak DAP MPs making strong demands on this issue at the Federal level. Instead, as seen in this case, upon receiving unfavourable news, they rushed back to Sarawak, treating it like a political jackpot, and immediately accused the Sarawak government – attempting to exploit the issue for political capital,” it said.
“If Sarawak DAP truly cared about Sarawak’s rights, they should actively push for relevant policies in Parliament and the Cabinet,” it stressed.
It further pointed out that Parliament is still in session, and GPS MPs will seek further clarification from the relevant ministers in the upcoming sittings to ensure that Sarawak’s rights remain protected.
“The GPS government has always adhered to the principle of ‘Sarawak First’, ensuring that the rights and interests of Sarawakians are never compromised,” it said.
It also highlighted that due to the Sarawak government’s persistence, Sarawak had successfully pressured Petronas through legal means and secured a court ruling legitimising Sarawak’s right to impose a sales tax on petroleum products – bringing in additional revenue for the state.
It noted that the Sarawak government’s stance is firm – the Petroleum Development Act 1974 must coexist with the Oil Mining Ordinance 1958 to safeguard Sarawak’s rights.
SUPP emphasized Sarawak GPS has been actively negotiating with the Federal government to secure Sarawak’s authority over its oil and gas resources.
“These achievements are the result of the Sarawak government’s long-term negotiations and struggles, not of DAP’s ‘political theatrics’,” it said.
“We call on DAP to stop politicising the issue. Instead of maliciously attacking the Sarawak government, he should use his position as an MP to seek further clarification in Parliament – demonstrating true responsibility,” it added.
“If Sarawak DAP MPs cannot explain what they have done in Parliament or through their national leaders in the Cabinet to fight for Sarawak’s rights, then their accusations are meaningless.
“The real party that has failed to secure Sarawak’s interests is none other than Sarawak DAP, which continues to prioritise Peninsular Malaysia over Sarawak!” SUPP asserted. – DayakDaily
