Oil royalty: Why are BN party leaders silent?

Saturday 29 March 2014

The youth wings also want a Parliamentary Select Committee to check the level of effectiveness in implementing the Malaysia Agreement 1963.
 
PENAMPANG: Many Sabahans are questioning the joint call, by three youth wings within Barisan Nasional, for the federal government to increase the oil royalty to Sabah and Sarawak.

They are asking why it is the youth wing and not the leaders of PBS, PBRS and Upko who are making this important call to Prime Minister Najib Tub Razak.

The three youth wings leaders - Jake Jikulin Nointin (PBS), Author Kurup (PBRS) and Arthun Sen (Upko) had yesterday issued a joint statement in which they said the fully support an earlier call on the issue by Sarawak Chief Minister Adenan Satem.

One seasoned political observer here opined that no less than the presidents of the three Kadazandusun parties should have made the call and not relegate that significant duty to their youth wing chiefs.

“If they are serious, the three presidents must have the courage to write a joint memorandum to the prime minister who is also president of Umno and chairman of the national BN,” said the observer.

A senior leader of PBS who was asked on the matter, refused to divulge why only youth leaders were asked to support Adenan’s call.

“I don’t want to say anythingt but to me it is okay for the youth leaders to make such a joint call to support Adenan’s call for an increase in oil royalty…” he said.

Yesterday, the trio had suggested to Najib to consider increasing the oil royalty quantun to 10%.

Said Nointin: “We made this joint call as the infrastructure development in both states that have vast areas is quite behind compared to other states in the Peninsular.

“We believe that, together, Sabah and Sarawak could have a louder voice in the matter. We need to start somewhere and it so happened that the three of us are good friends. So, why not we start the ball rolling.”

Call for PSC on Malaysia Agreement

Arthur who is also the son of PBRS president, Joseph Kurup, meanwhile proposed for the setting up of Parliamentary Select Committee to check the level of effectiveness in the implementation of the Malaysia Agreement 1963 and the 20-Point and 19-Point memorandums from Sabah and Sarawak.

“We also want representation of parliament seats for Sabah and Sarawak to be increased from the current 25% to 35% or not more than one-third of the total 222 seats,” said Arthur.

Sen of Upko, meanwhile had also called on the federal government to heed one of the 20 points called “Borneonisation” where federal agencies in the two states are to be staffed with Sabahans and Sarawakians, as agreed in 1963.

“We are also of the opinion that the federal should consider having a Sabahan representative in Petronas board of directors so that the state’s interests are catered,” Sen said.

FMT Borneo Plus

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