KUCHING: Good news for the state is expected at the upcoming meeting of the committee set up to find commercial solutions to Sarawak’s petroleum sales tax claim.
The meeting will be held here on Sept 17.
Welfare, Community Wellbeing, Women, Family and Childhood Development Minister, Datuk Seri Fatimah Abdullah pointed out that Petronas’ outstanding payment of the state sales tax (SST) had not been paid up till today.
“I think everybody hopes for good news. All this while, we have heard that Petronas has agreed to pay … and the media has even reported on the rough figure. The meeting will be the last stage of discussions on the quantum, mode of payment and time,” she said.
Fatimah was met by the media after officiating at the closing ceremony of a talk on i-Suri, i-Saraan, special aid for single mothers and iSarawakcare held at Waterfront Hotel here on Monday (Sept 14).
On Saturday, Senior Works Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusuf revealed that the third meeting of the committee on the state sales tax claim was set to happen in Kuching on Sept 17.
The committee was set up to facilitate negotiations between the Sarawak and federal governments. It is to be co-chaired by Fadillah and Finance Minister, Datuk Seri Tengku Zafrul Abdul Aziz, together with the Sarawak government and Petronas.
The committee’s first meeting on June 17 at the Ministry of Finance was attended by a Sarawak delegation led by Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan, as well as representatives from Petronas.
On Aug 3, at the Court of Appeal, Petronas withdrew its appeal over its failed judicial review application against the Sarawak government and the state’s Comptroller of State Sales Tax regarding the RM2 billion sales tax issue.
Likewise, the Sarawak government also withdrew its cross-appeal over the issue of the High Court’s jurisdiction over the state Sales Tax.
