MA63, oil and gas are priority, not cabinet posts: GPS sec-gen

Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) today revealed its conditions for supporting the Perikatan Nasional (PN) government led by Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin.

Speaking to Malaysiakini, GPS secretary-general Alexander Nanta Linggi (above) said the Sarawak ruling coalition wished the government would implement the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63).

Its main bargain is for Muhyiddin to listen to its request and demand for Petronas' oil and gas as enshrined in the relevant ordinance, where the state government owns the right and the power to issue licences, according to him.

This included imposing the five percent sales tax on petroleum in the state starting from 2019, Alexander added.

In November 2019, Sarawak filed a suit against Petronas to recover the state sales tax owed by the national oil gas company.  

Alexander stressed the right to impose a sales tax. 

"We want the prime minister to understand our demands and hopefully can negotiate meaningfully for Sarawak on these issues. That's our conditions."

He said the conditions are more important than GPS joining Muhyiddin's new cabinet. 

Alexander (photo) agreed with Sarawak Chief Minister Abang Johari Openg who said it was not GPS' top priority to have positions in the federal cabinet although he would look into such offers.

“This is secondary. The country’s (interests have to come) first,” Johari was quoted by Free Malaysia Today (FMT) as saying.

Yesterday, GPS whip Fadillah Yusof said the party would leave it to Johari to decide whether Sarawak should have ministerial posts in the new federal government.

Alexander said it may be beneficial for Sarawak if GPS becomes a part of the cabinet.

"Personally, I believe it may be good for us if we can participate so that we can be more effective in decision making," he said.

Alexander said the cabinet portfolios which may help Sarawak are the Rural and Regional Development Ministry, Works Ministry and Primary Industries Ministry.

Meanwhile, Deputy Chief Minister James Masing implied that it would be good if GPS can assist in the administration of the country.

"Our objective is to put our lawmakers in a position so that they can assist in administering our country. It must be in that order, and the appointment to the position is the last and only if the position given could serve Sarawakians.

"Our second objective is to cater for the interests of Sarawak and its people," he said in a statement to Malaysiakini.

James, who is the president of Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS), said his party chose Muhyiddin to end the premier impasse so that the nation is stabilised. - Mkini