KUCHING: Progressive Democratic Party’s (PDP’s) Senior Vice-President, Datuk Seri Wong Soon Koh, has condemned an article alleging hidden foreign control behind Sarawak’s oil and gas resources, describing it as dangerous and misleading.
The article, titled ‘The Chinese Fuzhou hidden hands behind Sarawak’s gas aggregator ambition EXPOSED’, Wong said, had twisted facts and tried to make Sarawakians believe that the state’s oil and gas resources are being controlled by a certain Fuzhou group.
“This is completely false; an outrageous lie.
“The truth is clear: for decades, Petroliam Nasional Bhd (PETRONAS) has been the biggest beneficiary of Sarawak’s oil and gas, not any private group, not any special community,” he said in a statement today.
Wong, who is also the Bawang Assan Assemblyman, stressed that the state-owned Petroleum Sarawak Bhd (PETROS) was established by Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg to begin reclaiming Sarawak’s rights over its oil and gas.
“PETROS was set up to restore our resource sovereignty, to re-assert Sarawak’s rights over its own oil and gas resources under the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) and the state’s Oil and Mining Ordinance 1958.
“It also counters decades of ‘royalty only’ income of 5 per cent which is unjust compared to the true value of its resources.
“In addition, to have a state-owned entity to make decisions to ensure that we are decision-makers and not just royalty collectors, and that PETROS is the regulator and operator that oversees the licensing and regulation of oil and gas activities under the state legal framework,” he pointed out.
PETROS, he said, is the first step in a long journey to ensure that more of Sarawak’s wealth stays in Sarawak for the benefit of her people.
“Any claims suggesting PETROS was secretly built to enrich a hidden group is a blatant lie, meant to confuse Sarawakians,” he said.
He went on to say that the article’s real agenda was to “distract and divide Sarawakians” when the real issue was about ensuring the state gained full control over its resources.
“We must stay focused on the real issue ensuring Sarawak gains full control of its resources, not wasting energy on fake stories and invented conspiracies,” he said.
He added that every cent Sarawak earns through PETROS in the future will go back to the people – for better infrastructure, hospitals, education, lower cost of living and more job opportunities for its people.
“A reminder to the author and those behind the lies: PETROS is not supported by one group, but it is manned by the government and supported by the whole Sarawakians,” he said.
“Every community, every family, every Sarawakian wants fairness. This is our shared fight. This is about protecting Sarawak’s dignity and Sarawak’s sovereignty.
“Those who try to divide us will fail because Sarawak will stand together, and no one can break our unity,” said Soon Koh.
