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KUCHING: Pakatan Harapan (PH) Sarawak chairman Chong Chieng Jen (pix) has called on Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) leaders to stop politicising serious issues like the proposed Sarawak’s equity participation in Petroliam National Berhad (Petronas).
Chong said the idea of Sarawak participating in Petronas’ equity has been mooted in the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) Steering Committee and that Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg had indicated he had no objection to the proposal.
“Those in the Steering Committee were very much aware of this suggestion. It was further decided in the MA63 Steering Committee that the details on the state’s equity participation in Petronas is to be discussed between the Prime Minister and the two Chief Ministers of Sabah and Sarawak.
“Therefore, it is incongruous of some of the GPS leaders to now turn around to claim ignorance about the offer,” said Chong in a statement yesterday evening.
According to Chong, Sarawak’s equity participation in oil and gas production in fact started with the Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) plants with the Sarawak government holding 5% share in Malaysia LNG Sdn Bhd, 10% share in Malaysia LNG Dua Sdn Bhd and 10 per cent share in Malaysia LNG Tiga Sdn Bhd.
This was followed by Sarawak government acquiring 10% equity shares in Petronas LNG 9 Sdn Bhd in Bintulu in January 2018.
“In April 2018, the Sarawak State Financial Secretary (SFS) announced that the state government acquired another 15% equity share in Malaysia LNG Tiga Sdn Bhd, increasing the state’s equity participation in the company to 25%.
“In the same announcement, the SFS also mentioned that since its first production in 1983 till 2017, Sarawak government has received a total amount of RM20 billion in dividends from its investment in the three MLNG companies. That was hundreds of millions of ringgit in dividend return annually.
“If the shareholdings in the LNG companies can yield such good returns, likewise will the shareholdings in Petronas,” said Chong.
Chong also claimed the previous chief minister, the late Pehin Sri Adenan Satem, had said Sarawak government should acquire an equity share in Petronas.
He noted that sadly at that time, the then Barisan Nasional-held federal government refused to divest any portion of its equity share in Petronas to Sarawak government because they (BN government) wanted to keep to itself all the lucrative dividend and revenue Petronas generates for its shareholder.
“That is also why, when the notion of Sarawak government acquiring an equity share in Petronas was suggested in the MA63 Steering Committee meeting, no one objected, including Abang Johari, and all agreed that the detailed discussion of the matter be referred to the separate meeting between the Prime Minister and the two Chief Ministers of Sabah and Sarawak.
“The question now is, all along the Sarawak government wanted an equity share in Petronas but was refused by the then BN government, but when the PH government offers the opportunity for Sarawak government to have an equity share in Petronas, why are the GPS politicians objecting to such offer?
“It is thus obvious that the GPS leaders are merely playing politics in claiming ignorance of the matter and objecting to the offer.
“My sincere appeal to them is that, whatever politics they want to play, do not put the future and interest of Sarawak in jeopardy by missing out in the opportunity to have an equity share in Petronas, which was also the wish of the late Adenan Satem,” he added.
Meanwhile, Chong who is also Deputy Minister of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs on Saturday night officiated at a pre-Christmas neighbourhood community programme at Kampung Bumbok.
In his speech, Chong who is Stampin MP called on Sarawakians to continue fostering unity and reject racist sentiments. At the dinner, Chong presented prizes to winners of telematches and also joined the audience for singing of Chrismas carols. — TheBorneoPost
