KUCHING: Petronas must pay the five per cent petroleum sales tax imposed by Sarawak or face the music, said political analyst Datuk Peter Minos.
He reiterated that if Petronas refused to pay, the state would bring the matter to court for arbitration.
“Sarawak has the state constitution and its own laws on its side. It would be nice to hear that Petronas has paid the five per cent tax by the end of October.
“Sarawak will get what it deserves as provided by law and also by natural rights,” he said when contacted yesterday.
He pointed out that Petronas was earning billions of ringgit from the oil and gas found in Sarawak every year.
“But Petronas is playing hard to get and making things difficult. It is sucking away Sarawak’s natural resources and wealth without returning anything to the state.
“This is not acceptable. Not even tolerable,” said Minos.
The political analyst stressed that Petronas and the Pakatan Harapan government knew that Sarawak needed funds to develop the state and progress economically.
“However, both Petronas and the PH government remain unconcerned and unsympathetic. This is something that a federal government should not do.
“For the government to last as long as possible, it must play and act fairly and justly to the people and its regions, even if the regions have political differences with the central government.”
He pointed out that this was the basics and fundamental in any federal system and should not be undermined by the central government.
“By going against the said principle, the federation is going down the road of gloom and doom, and eventual self-destruction.
“We in Sarawak only hope that Petronas and the PH government will take heed and start treating us fairly.
“Otherwise, do not blame Sarawakians for feeling that they have been ill-treated and perceiving that Sarawak has been badly exploited or even colonised,” added Minos.
