Give RM500 to each Sarawakian from oil sales tax, SUPP tells govt

 

SUPP president Dr Sim Kui Hian said the party members also suggested that a special trust fund be set up to build up the skills and abilities of Sarawakians.

KUCHING: The Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP) has urged the state government to use the RM3.18 billion revenue collected from the 2019 state sales tax on petroleum products for a one-off payment of RM500 to all Sarawakians.

SUPP, a component of Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS), also urged the state government to set up a special trust fund for human resources development to help future generations of Sarawak in skills training, technology research and business development.

It also wants a Sarawak Sovereign Fund set up to ensure that Sarawakians continue to benefit from oil and gas revenues even after the depletion of resources.

These were among the six resolutions the party adopted during their annual delegates conference held here yesterday, said party president Dr Sim Kui Hian in his speech at the closing of the party’s annual convention, which was closed by Chief Minister Abang Johari Openg here today.

Sim, who is also state local government and housing minister, said the other resolutions include SUPP expressing their full support to Abang Johari continuing to lead the coalition into the 12th Sarawak elections and to continue as chief minister.

Others include urging the Sarawak government to approve conversion of leasehold residential and commercial land to freehold land throughout Sarawak without payment of any additional land premium and to urge the state government to provide free Covid-19 vaccines to all Sarawakians, when such vaccines are available.

The fifth resolution was for the state government to build at least 5,000 units of affordable houses every year to benefit B40 and M40 groups and to provide financial assistance for the first time home buyers while the sixth was a call for the state government to continue to pursue the restoration of Sarawak rights stated in Malaysia Agreement (MA63), which include, among others, Sarawak health and education autonomy.

Sim, in his speech, also said that state funding for Unit For Other Religions (Unifor) and Chinese education had marked the beginning of Bangsa Sarawak where jobs, opportunities and funding are allocated equally irrespective of race and religions. - FMT