Aspirasi calls for creation of Minister of Oil post, Sarawakian to fill role

KUCHING: The Sarawak People’s Aspiration Party (Aspirasi) has called on Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim to create the portfolio of Minister of Oil as practised by many oil-producing countries.

According to Aspirasi president Lina Soo, this is because oil and gas (O&G) is a major contributor to the federal coffers, accounting for about a quarter of gross domestic product (GDP).

“Since the 1970s, Malaysia has for decades been dependent on O&G for its bulk of public revenue to fund the country’s development and drive its industries,” she said in a statement.

Soo stated the Minister of Oil post must be filled by a Sarawakian because the state is a major O&G producer.

She opined it would be more meaningful for Sarawak to hold the position of Minister of Oil to safeguard the state’s O&G resources than to be given the Deputy Prime Minister post with no real powers except for window dressing purposes.

She also called on Anwar’s administration to remove the cloaks of secrecy surrounding Petronas.

Soo suggested Parliament revisit the Petroleum Development Act (PDA) and regularise it as a federal law applicable only to Peninsular Malaysia as she claimed it is unconstitutional and inoperative in Sarawak because the state is protected by the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) and Sarawak Constitution, giving it ownership and economic rights over natural resources.

“The issue about MA63 is only about immediate implementation and execution as there is no necessity for more discussions till the cows come home as the international agreement to form Malaysia was signed and sealed 59 years ago.

“We Sarawakians know what we have lost, now we want our rights and sovereignty powers back — nothing more, nothing less,” she added.