“We need to reclaim Sabah’s oil and gas resources that were wrongfully and unlawfully vested by the federal government to Petronas in 1975/76,” said Kitingan adding that he will debate the motion at the sitting today even if the Speakers attempt to stop him.
KOTA KINABALU: The Sabah Legislative Assembly has rejected four motions on the state’s oil and gas agreements and the worrying Goods and Services Tax (GST).
The motions, tabled by Bingkor assemblyman Jeffrey Kitingan and Likas assemblyman, Junz Wong respectively, was rejected on the basis that they were submitted late.
But Kitingan claimed otherwise.
“The excuse given was not true at all. I had followed procedure and submitted the motions early.
“I even went to the office to discuss it with the speakers.”
“(Yesterday) I wasn’t even given the chance to present any of my motions. I was immediately rejected the moment I stood up to speak,” said Kitingan.
He added that he tried to recite the order for an emergency motion but was denied the chance to defend himself.
Kitingan said he tabled three motions. They were a proposed review of the 1963 Malaysia Agreement, the legality of the Petroleum Development Act 1974 and the Petroleum Agreement signed on June 14, 1976. The agreements were between the state and federal governments.
All three motions were directed at reclaiming Sabah’s rights, a sentiment that is strongly echoed by Sarawak with leaders fighting to ensure the central government honours the Malaysia agreement.
“We need to reclaim Sabah’s oil and gas resources that were wrongfully and unlawfully vested by the federal government to Petronas in 1975/76,” said Kitingan adding that he will debate the motion at the sitting today even if the Speakers attempt to stop him.
GST motion rejected
Meanwhile, Wong’s bid to move a motion on the implementation of the GST bill also hit the same wall as Kitingan.
Wong received a letter yesterday morning at state assembly, rejecting his GST motion on the basis that it was submitted late.
“Having my motion rejected based on technicality but not the merits of the motion or issue concerning public interests was indeed very disappointing,” he said in a statement yesterday.
Wong also claimed to have submitted his motion in accordance with standing orders of the Legislative Assembly of the Sabah State, which meant that his motion should have been debated this week.
The motion was a bid to improve the welfare of Sabahans by demanding 50% of Sabah’s GST revenue to be channeled back into the state.
“Since the GST bill has been passed in Parliament, there is no use to fight it anymore. We can only make the best out of it.”
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