KUCHING: The Sarawak Association for Peoples’ Aspiration (SAPA) stands in defence of its statement that Oil and Gas (O&G) in Sarawak belong to Sarawak as the landowner.
Its president, Lina Soo said this is in response to a no-name writer who called himself Oilman, whose article was published in the Borneo Post on Tuesday claiming that the O&G issue should not be politicised.
“Oil and Gas in Sarawak belong to Sarawak as the landowner and by extension, to each and every Sarawakian as the landowner and stakeholder, and to our future generations who will inherit our land,” she pointed out during a press conference at Telang Usan Hotel, yesterday.
Soo asked Oilman why Sarawak should continue to dance to the tune of Petronas. She also said it was ridiculous for Oilman to suggest that O&G issue should not be politicised when Sarawak’s rights to its O&G has already become a subject of widespread discussion from the coffeeshops to the five-foot ways, not to mention the social media.
“O&G is a major political issue of our rights and blatant breach of the Malaysia Agreement, the Sarawak Constitution and the Federal Constitution, resulting in 44 years of poverty and failed development, making Sarawak the poorest and most backward territory in the country,” she said.
She said SAPA did not advocate that Petronas and oil operators in Sarawak have to shut down ‘ala Mugabe’ as insinuated by Oilman, but merely requested that they apply for the licences and leases for exploration, prospecting and mining activities, and to pay for royalties and any sales tax to be imposed by the Sarawak government.
“Why Petros need to discuss with Petronas on Sarawak’s oil rights when it is for Petronas to seek Petros approval to comply with Sarawak OMO?” Soo asked.
“It is for Petros to manage, to govern the mining activities and to give instructions on technical and financial arrangements to Petronas, but not to negotiate with Petronas in any way which can compromise Sarawak’s territorial and sovereignty rights,” she explained.
She said SAPA requested an answer from the Sarawak Government if to date, Petronas or any oil contractor has submitted any application form under Schedule 5(1) Application Form for an Oil Exploration Licence, Oil Prospecting Licence or Oil Mining Licence.
“Once a licence application is in process, it serves to confirm Sarawak’s jurisdiction and sovereignty over its natural resources found within its shores and territorial waters.
“Petronas must take the lead in complying with OMO, and should do so immediately so that all oil operators will follow suit. With each day delayed, this is an economic loss to Sarawak,” Soo said.
In the news article, Oilman said it borders on insanity to make such a demand but Soo asked if it is not insanity for the people of Sarawak to endure Petronas taking advantage of them to exploit their resources, leaving them poor without clean water, 24-hour electricity, healthcare, decent schools and roads?
SAPA also commended the Sarawak Government on setting up Petros.
“But Petros must not be seen as a shadowy organisation behind closed doors doing backroom deals and horse trading, where Sarawakians’ interests might be compromised for political interests,” she said.
Soo reiterated that the Sarawak government has the duty to keep Sarawakians fully informed in a transparent and accountable manner.
“The Sarawak Government must be aware that public sentiment is one of rising rage against the audacity of the federal government in breaching MASS by changing our territorial boundaries and using the PDA and TSA to steal our resources.
“If the federal government is genuine about restoring Sarawak equal status, than it must honour the pre-Malaysia boundaries and submit to Sarawak law which existed before the formation of Malaysia,” she said.
“The most fundamental reason for the merger of all States Malaya, Sarawak, Sabah and Singapore (which left in 1965) was to develop Sarawak and to bring prosperity and progress to Sarawak. Indeed the opposite has been done by sucking out our oil and using it to develop Malaya and entrenching corruption in the country.
“Sarawakians have for the past 50 years have suffered the indignity of being robbed of our birthright to our God-given resources, and it is insane for Sarawakians to have to suffer this shame and loss of wealth longer.
“We are now at the crossroads to move forward with the courage to be free and independent in our views as matured Sarawakians capable of administering our State‘s affairs in a democratic manner, or continue to be subjugated as in the past 50 years to plundering forces without a whimper.
“The Sarawak Government must remain true and committed to resolving the many issues plagueing Sarawakians today, with the need to be polite and politically correct secondary to the need to realize our peoples’ aspiration for economic, political and financial freedoms.
“If Sarawakians have to be stifled and silenced on issues which concern our Sarawakians and future generations, then today, the government will have failed in its duty and obligations to which they were elected for,” said Soo.
