See only Opposition member to have motion received for DUN sitting
KUCHING: Batu Lintang assemblyman See Chee How will be the only Opposition member to have a motion received for the coming State Legislative Assembly (DUN) sitting which commences today until May 26.
See shared that his motion was to move the DUN to resolve, declare, reiterate and reaffirm the Petroleum Development Act (PDA) 1974; Continental Shelf Act (CSA) 1966; and Territorial Sea Act (TSA) 2012; and that all their provisions are not relevant and not binding on Sarawak.
He explained this was because the DUN had yet to approve, legislate and endorse these Acts and their provisions.
According to See, the late Pehin Sri Adenan Satem, when he was the Chief Minister, had said the PDA 1974 and TSA 2021 were not relevant in Sarawak as the DUN had yet to endorse them.
He also revealed former Petronas chairman Tan Sri Ahmad Nizam Salleh, in his testimony in the High Court in Sibu on Aug 6, 2021 had said he was not fully aware about the statement made by the late Adenan.
See also mentioned that Ahmad Nizam had in the court testimony said the recognition of PDA 1974 by the Sarawak government, as stated in a joint statement on the State Sales Tax (SST), was one of the terms in the negotiation for settlement.
“(This is) to make clear to Petronas that any concession made by any person, body and/or the state for the application of any of the provisions of the PDA 1974, SCA 1966 and TSA 2012 in Sarawak, thereby compromising, yielding up or capitulating our oil and gas ownership rights, in whole or in part, within the territory of Sarawak, is wrongful, illegal, null and void and of not effect,” See said.
DUN Speaker Tan Sri Datuk Amar Mohd Asfia Awang Nassar in a press conference on Sunday revealed the DUN had received a Private Member’s motion under Standing Order 23 from See, which is on the ‘Continental Shelf and Territorial Sea Act’.
On a related matter, See said he also hopes an emergency motion submitted will be heard during the DUN sitting.
He said he had submitted a notice of motion pursuant to Order 15 of the Standing Orders of the DUN to discuss a definite and urgent matter of public importance in the DUN.
According to him, the motion is centred on news that on May 13 this year, the federal Attorney-General publicised reasons for compounding instead of prosecuting Serba Dinamik Holdings Berhad and its executives for purported offence under Section 369(a)(B) of the Capital Markets and Services Act 2007.
He said the State Financial Secretary Sarawak has 159.5 million shareholdings and 36 million warrant holdings, while Bintulu Development Authority has 21 million shareholdings and six million warrant holdings in Serba Dinamik Holdings Berhad.
As such, he hoped that through the motion, the DUN can resolve that DUN members be briefed on the details and the quantum of losses suffered by the State Treasury and all the respective government-linked bodies and corporations.
He added through the motion also, the august House will nominate and appoint a team of DUN members to join, participate and oversee the formulation and implementation of Serba Dinamik’s Regularisation Plan to protect the interests of Sarawak and to recoup the enormous losses in public funds.
On a separate matter, See also said he had submitted nine questions for oral answers and one question for written answer during the DUN sitting.