Sarawak contributes much to nation’s coffers, only seeks fair share of revenue, says state legal advisor

KUCHING (July 27): The Sarawak government is only seeking its fair share of the country’s revenue in view of the state’s vast contributions from its oil and gas resources to the nation’s coffers, says Dato Sri JC Fong.

The state legal advisor also says it is crucial for Sarawak to be financially independent and less reliant on federal funding, particularly in carrying out public infrastructure projects.

“The reason we started bringing up these issues of Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) and our rights to the oil and gas resources was the Proclamation of Emergency 1969, which was finally repealed in 2011.

“This (repeal) resulted in the Petroleum Mining Act 1966 and Continental Shelf Act 1966 being no longer applicable to Sabah and Sarawak, since these two laws were only applied in the Borneo states due to the Emergency Proclamation (back then),” he said.

Fong said this when met at the second Borneo States Symposium titled ‘The Dreams and Visions of the Peoples of the Borneo States’, held at Borneo Cultures Museum here today.

The symposium was organised by The Sarawak Initiatives and Sabah Action Body Advocating Rights.

Fong said the appointment of the late Pehin Sri Adenan Satem as chief minister in 2014 had resulted in the MA63 gaining greater awareness, and further facilitating the subsequent efforts to regain Sarawak’s rights and privileges as enshrined in the Agreement.

He pointed out that Sarawak Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg was undertaking various measures to exert some control over the state’s resources, despite the enforcement of the Petroleum Development Act (PDA) 1974.

“Even if the courts grant us the declaration that the PDA 1974 is not valid or unconstitutional, the declaration will not be retrospective but only prospective – meaning everything that has been done under the PDA cannot be set aside.

“The contracts and concessions granted by Petronas will still be there and so, it does not solve the problem,” said Fong.