KUCHING: Sarawak DAP chairman Chong Chieng Jen has been described as someone who loves to make assumptions and take pre-emptive actions even after getting only hints and skimpy information from third parties.
Political analyst Datuk Peter Minos, who offered this description, was responding to Chong’s statement which stated that the Chief Minister’s Office had confirmed that Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg had in principle agreed to acquire a stake in Petroliam Nasional Berhad (Petronas).
Chong, who is also Sarawak Pakatan Harapan (PH) chairman, in a press statement here yesterday, said that was the reason why a separate meeting would be held between the prime minister and the chief ministers of Sabah and Sarawak.
He said, had the suggestion been rejected outright in the MA63 Steering Committee meeting, there would be no necessity to have a separate meeting between the three of them.
Therefore, Chong said, Tourism, Arts, Culture Minister cum Youth and Sports Minister Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah shot himself in the foot by rejecting the notion of Sarawak government acquiring a stake in Petronas and contradicting Abang Johari’s stand made in the MA63 Steering Committee.
“I think our chief minister genuinely seeks the details of the Petronas share offer as he cannot respond to what a reporter stated in a foreign newspaper,” said Minos.
He said whether or not the chief minister would consider the offer or not, no DAP member should be a busy-body about it.
“It’s none of DAP’s concern, none of DAP’s business,” he said, adding that indications are that the offer might not be accepted because it is too expensive (at RM8 billion per share) because with one per cent share Sarawak will have no say in Petronas’ management, so what’s the point? Such purchase would imply that Sarawak fully and legally accepts Petronas as owner and operator of Sarawak’s oil and gas.
“This cannot be. It is better and wiser for Sarawak to get Petronas to pay the promised 20 per cent royalty and the five per cent sales tax on exported petroleum products,” said Minos, adding that if Petronas pays these two items it would be good enough for Sarawak without buying a share in the corporation.
Abang Johari made it clear last Saturday that the state government does not intend to buy any stake in Petronas.
He said it would be pointless to buy stakes even if Petronas were to give two or three per cent as the state government would not have a say in how Petronas should be managed. However, the prime minister has the power over Petronas under its constitution.
He pointed out that even the Petronas board does not have the kind of power that the prime minister has over the oil company.
Abang Johari said the state government must be careful when it comes to handling the state’s rights, including oil and gas within its territory.
He said it was imperative for the state government to protect its territorial boundary of up to 200 nautical miles from being altered by the federal government.
