S4S holds demonstrations in Kuching, Miri
MIRI: Sarawak for Sarawakians (S4S) held demonstrations here and in Kuching yesterday to protest Petronas’ suit against the Sarawak government over ownership rights to oil and gas resources.
Around 30 S4S supporters gathered outside the Petronas Carigali office in Lutong including S4S Miri spokesperson Erick Chin Fen Siong, former Pujut assemblyman Fong Pau Teck, and organising chairman Ngieng Chew Seng.
“S4S is supporting our state government to defend our rights over oil and gas. Thus we demonstrated to protest against Petronas, who is challenging the Sarawak government’s claim to regulatory authority in the upstream oil and gas sector,” Chin told reporters.
“Sarawakians should not be allowed to be deprived by Petronas, who had been exploiting these resources since 1976 and yet did very little to develop Sarawak, unlike Shell, who not only employed many locals but also trained and gave education to the Natives too.”
No Petronas officials met with the demonstrators but police, including Miri District police chief ACP Lim Meng Seah, were present to keep an eye on proceedings.
At the Kuching Waterfront, heavy rain did not stop some 50 demonstrators from making their opinions known.
Participants waved mainly old Sarawak flags and carried banners stating ‘It’s Our Oil’, as they shouted, “Petronas out of Sarawak”.
Among those present were Tan Kai – a political secretary to the Chief Minister – and State Reform Party (STAR) Sarawak president Lina Soo.