Lo: GPS now strangely silent in fight for Sarawak rights

KUCHING: Parti Sarawak Bersatu (PSB) said yesterday that the cries of fighting for Sarawak’s rights by Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) parties have fallen “strangely silent” when they now hold ministerial and deputy ministerial portfolios in the federal government where the state coalition is a kingmaker.

PSB secretary-general George Lo said before this, GPS had among others demanded for the 20 per cent oil royalty, invalidation of the Petroleum Development Act ( PDA) and the Territorial Seas Act ( TSA), recognition of Unified Examination Certificate ( UEC), repairs of dilapidated schools, increased funding for and autonomy over healthcare and education.

He asked where are all the leaders of Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP), Parti Rakyat Sarawak ( PRS), Progressive Democratic Party ( PDP) and Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu ( PBB) who used to complain loudly over the past two years, and asked why have they lost their voices.

“Instead, we have a SUPP leader who told DAP not to raise political complaints during the Covid-19 Movement Control Order ( MCO). My reply to them is this: Do not hide behind the skirts of Covid-19 when you have no answer to give.

“When PSB president Dato Sri Wong Soon Koh demanded answers from the GPS chief minister and finance minister for the shortfall in the budgets for 2019 and 2020 amounting to billions, Wong did so as an elected representative of the people.

“And we the people have a right to know the answer because it involves the finance of the state. It affects each and every one of us,” Lo said in a statement.

Lo added that when Wong demanded an explanation regarding the government’s concession that the PDA was valid in the joint statement issued by the GPS government and Petroliam Nasional Berhad on the State Sales Tax, it was a concern shared by Sarawakians.

“It is clear and unequivocal. It stated that an agreement had been reached between the GPS government and Petronas for, amongst others, the payment of RM2 billion of state sales tax by Petronas and the recognition by the GPS government of Petronas’ rights under the PDA.“There is absolutely no mention in that joint statement that the agreement had to be referred to the MA63 Consultative Committee or to the approval of the Dewan Undangan Negeri ( DUN),” he said, referring to the statement signed by Assistant Minister in the Chief Minister’s Department Datuk Sharifah Hasidah Sayeed

Aman Ghazali and Petronas chairman Datuk Ahmad Nizam Salleh on May 8.

Lo said upon reading the joint statement, PSB immediately issued a press statement that GPS had no right to sacrifice Sarawak’s rights in respect of the PDA for the sake of getting payment from Petronas which the court had already decided in favour of Sarawak.

He said only then did the GPS government brought in additional “terms” they left out of the joint statement and that the settlement is to be referred to the Consultative Committee and subject to the approval of the DUN and, recently, that the payment of RM2 billion for 2019 will be more as Petronas was still calculating.

He pointed out that if everything was still unconfirmed, subject to further calculation, subject to reference to the Consultative Committee and subject to DUN approval, there was no reason for the Petronas chairman and the GPS government to issue the joint statement.

“What I believe is that this allegation of reference to the Consultative Committee and subject to DUN approval and that the amount of RM2 billion is still being calculated are nothing more than ‘ afterthoughts’. The people of Sarawak can judge for themselves from the various revelations in the newspaper releases to date.

“I believe that the budget shortfall and the Petronas settlement are inter-linked,” he said.

Lo explained that in the 2019 budget, the Sarawak chief minister proudly stated that it was the first in Sarawak history where revenue exceeded RM10 billion.

He noted that in that 2019 budget was a forecast of state sales tax ( SST) on petroleum products of RM3.879 billion; it was not yet revenue but he counted it as part of revenue.

Lo said the other problem was that the GPS government knew that Petronas did not agree to the SST, and that income would never materialise.

Therefore, he said the government had no choice but to sue Petronas for the SST which resulted in two separate actions, one by Petronas by way of judicial review to quash the assessment of SST and the other by the government for payment of the SST.

He said although the High Court had dismissed Petronas’ judicial review application, the government’s suit was still to be tried and both legal actions would still have to wend their way through the appellate courts.

“As we approach mid-2020, the budget for 2021 will have to be tabled soon. I believe that the GPS government realised that a settlement with Petronas has become urgent or there cannot be any ‘ income’ from SST in the 2021 budget.

“And if there cannot be any such SST income in 2021, then provisions must surely be made for the shortfall in income in 2019 and 2020.

“I believe that led to the quick settlement with Petronas, with GPS insisting on the payment of RM2 billion but conceding on the validity of the PDA,” he said.

Lo said what GPS did not anticipate was the uproar over the PDA although they should not have been surprised given the fact that Chief Minister himself and Deputy Chief Minister Tan Sri Datuk Amar Dr James Masing had both previously taken a firm and very public stand that the PDA is null and void.

He said since they cannot blow hot and cold, they must now explain to the people of Sarawak why the GPS government had to concede that the void PDA is now valid.

“Why is GPS no longer insisting on reclaiming our oil and gas rights as they did before?” he asked.

Instead, we have a SUPP leader who told DAP not to raise political complaints during the Covid-19 Movement Control Order (MCO). My reply to them is this: Do not hide behind the skirts of Covid19 when you have no answer to give. George Lo