‘WE ARE NOT COLONY OF ORANG MALAYA’: BIGGEST JOKE – AFTER 5 DECADES OF LETTING ‘MALAYA’ UMNO RIP OFF SARAWAKIANS’ OIL, TIMBER & LAND WEALTH – TAIB MAHMUD’S PARTY & CRONIES POINT GUN AT PAKATAN BUT DARE NOT BLAME DR MAHATHIR, HEAPS BLAME ON GUAN ENG INSTEAD

THE energy appeared to be one of defiance shown by leaders of Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) in their – at best – patchy relationship with Putrajaya.

Short of calling for independence, their message to the Pakatan Harapan federal government seemed to be one of self-sufficiency.

Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) president, Abang Johari Openg, at GPS’ official launch in Kuching on Saturday night, made it clear that Sarawak would work with the federal government in accordance with the concept of federalism but not at the expense of the state’s rights and interests.

“We can work with anyone as long as they respect Sarawak rights,” he said.

Of the four parties in the coalition, the others being Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS), the Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP) and Progressive Democratic Party (PDP), PPB is its lynchpin.

The four had been part of the Barisan Nasional coalition but ditched it soon after it lost the general election in May last year.

SUPP president Dr Sim Kui Hian, in demanding recognition of Sarawak’s status as one of three territories that formed Malaysia, suggested at the launch that the state legislature not be called the Sarawak legislative assembly but the Sarawak parliament.

PDP president and Bintulu MP Tiong King Sing said because Putrajaya was dragging its feet on the state’s request for an increase in oil and gas royalties from the present 5% to 20%, the state should change the sales tax on petroleum and petroleum products – now at 5% – to 10%.

Sarawak had imposed the petroleum sales tax, to Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng’s chagrin, in November in response to Putrajaya’s lukewarm response to the royalty increase request.

Lim’s fury stemmed from the fact that Petronas and the national coffers stood to lose more than RM3 billion annually with the move.

Abang Johari, who is also Sarawak chief minister, said Sarawak was more than able to develop the state even if Putrajaya balked on its financial responsibilities.

He said the federal government could cut back on allocations to repair dilapidated schools and infrastructure development, as well as renege on deals or cancel funding promised by the previous government.

“So be it. They can cancel the Batang Lupar bridge, the bridges over the Rambungan, Igan and Kemena rivers,” he said in reference to key bridges along the state’s second highway – the coastal road – that stretches from Kuching to Miri.

The previous BN government had promised to pick up 50% of the cost of the bridges even though the highway project was 100% funded by the state.

“We won’t beg from them. We are not beggars,” Abang Johari said.

In admitting that working with the PH government was not always easy, Abang Johari highlighted what he described as “stiff opposition” to the state’s demand for an increase in oil and gas royalties.

“Petronas even resorted to taking Sarawak to court over ownership of oil and gas in Sarawak.

“You want to fight, we will fight,”   he said to thunderous applause and loud cheers at the indoor Stadium Perpaduan in Petrajaya.

“Sarawakians are now smarter. We are not that stupid.”

PRS president James Masing then declared Sarawak would no longer remain silent on its coveted carbon resources.

He said Petronas records showed that in 2017, with Sarawak’s oil fields producing 800,000 barrels per day, it earned RM192 million a day when the price per barrel stood at US$60 (RM240).

That, he said, amounted to the national oil company earning RM70 billion that year – but Sarawak earned only RM2 billion of that amount from the 5% royalty.

“Where is the rest of the money?

“These minerals are our most precious assets. People and nations go to war to claim such wealth.

“Did we? No! Sarawak are gentle people.

“Unfortunately, however, our gentleness was taken for granted. Our assets were stolen in front of our eyes, and consequently, we allowed ourselves to be trampled on, abused and stabbed in the back.

“I say: no more shall we stay dormant and keep quiet. Let us stand up and fight for what is ours.

“55 years of being treated like a colony by our fellow Malaysians from Malaya is enough.

“We are not colony of Orang Malaya.”

– https://www.themalaysianinsight.com