Tuesday, February 14, 2012

Sabah deserves more from what is taken from Sabah

By Melanie Chia

It is a mockery that BN Sabah failed to understand what is oil royalty. Instead of supporting the call to increase the oil royalty for Sabah, BN Sabah still want to confuse the people comparing oil royalty to development funds from the Federal Government.

SAPP reaffirms that Sabah deserves more from what is taken from Sabah and asking for an increase in oil royalty is not out of the ordinary. In fact, it should have been a move taken up by the Sabah State
Government.

"What is the use of being a fixed deposit State if you do no know how to harness this fixed deposit! Furthermore, it had been more than 35 years since Sabah signed the oil agreement."

Sabah Barisan Nasional Secretary and MP for Kota Belud Datuk Abdul Rahman Dahlan's worry that Sabah will be 'worse off' if an increase in Sabah oil royalty lead to a reduction in federal allocation for development is unfounded.

Sabah BN leaders should not confuse the people with the notion that more of one will lead to less of the other fund. We deserve both and we should have both the monies.

Development funding from the Federal Government allocated for development in the State is enshrined in the Federal Constitution.

Sabah should have received it's fair share of this development funds since the formation of Malaysia in 1963. It is only in the recent years that Sabah received greater attention and gets an increase in it's share of the Federal Government's allocation for development.

Sabah gets a mere 5% in oil royalty from the oil agreement signed in 1976. PETRONAS, the national oil company incorporated in 1974 is vested with the entire ownership and control of the petroleum resources in Malaysia. For having surrendered all the oil and gas resources, PETRONAS pays the 5% oil royalty to the Sabah State
Government and likewise, the Federal Government also gets 5% oil royalty on top of all the other taxes it collect from the oil and gas industry.

Sabah ought to stop enslaving itself hoping for more federal allocations which should have been due anyhow as enshrined in the Federal Constitution. Asking for more oil royalty now after more than 35 years is only asking for a bit more of what Malaysians in Sabah rightly deserved.

Melanie Chia is Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) Women chief cum State Assemblywoman for N.16 Luyang

46 comments:

  1. According to SOGCA, what the Sabah oil and gas industry wanted is more than just oil royalties. Instead, they proposed at least half of every ringgit made from oil and gas sales be returned to Sabah as it is fairer.

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    Replies
    1. i think this is more fair to sabah...

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    2. Ya alex. Itu lebih adil buat Sabah.

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    3. Good suggestion made by the SOGCA. This is more fair to sabah.

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    4. supposed to be half and more but we should know how it can be achieved. is it possible?

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  2. Sabah and Sarawak are equal partners with Malaya, our Federal Government must treated us fairly in terms of Federal Allocations for developing Sabah and Sarawak.

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    Replies
    1. True. Sabah and Sarawak are not second class citizens.

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    2. bigger allocation should be given to sabah and sarawak..if Malaya get rm100billion, sabah should also get the same amount...and sarawak too..

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    3. I agree as Sabah deserves more.

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    4. As EM is more wider than states in WM i think they deserve more in terms of federal allocations for development.

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    5. There are numerous projects related to the oil and gas industry has been carried out in Sabah.

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  3. With the huge number of Petronas projects in Sabah involving hundred billions of ringgit,we would like to see the position of Petronas top personnel in Sabah elevated to Vice President. At least we have the voice in decision-making process.

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    1. It is only fair for sabahans to have a voice in the petronas decision making as sabah is one of the oil contribution.

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    2. melalui projek-projek yang dibuat di Sabah, harap itu akan menyumbang kepada pembangunan Sabah.

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    3. since Sabah has big contribution to the national oil and gas industry, i agree that Sabah will given a chance to involved in Petronas decision-making.

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    4. This includes the SOGT project that is currently on the way in KIMANIS as well as the esbablishment of Madahan as a administration centre for this purpose

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  4. Sabah indeed deserves more but I think Sabah has got more than that compared to previous achievements.

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    Replies
    1. Ya betul. Apapun, saya harap keperluan Sabah akan terus dipenuhi dari semasa ke semasa.

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    2. keperluan rakyat dan negeri ini memang harus sentiasa diberikan perhatian.

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  5. i heard Najib said sabah is no longer the poorest state..

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    1. Sabah became the poorest becoz of Umno and BN sucking all our resources...now najib says no the poorest, but how poor...2nd poorest?

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    2. ya. negeri termiskin kini adalah Kelantan.

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    3. Curb all the illegals first.

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    4. You heard right Alex. http://www.bernama.com/bernama/state_news/news.php?id=646319&cat=sbe

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    5. kalau begitu teruskan usaha agar Sabaha jadi lebih membangun..

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    6. Sabah was no longer the poorest state in the country and in fact had huge potential to surge forward. This was the outcome of the national development agenda which was clear and effective and now included the National Transformation Programme that would bring about a brighter future for the people, according to PM during his visit in Lahad Datu.

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  6. i think sabah and sarawak deserves more...

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  7. There is nothing wrong to ask for more, in fact I think that's more rational idea.

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    Replies
    1. indeed its nothing wrong because sabah has the rights to demand more.

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    2. sabah has contributed a lot to malaysia economy. So it is fair for sabah to ask for more.

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    3. ask more and effort more..the leaders should play their role.

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  8. Sabah harus dilayan sama rata seperti negeri2 lain.

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  9. We should have someone from Sabah as a partaker in the decision making in the oil and gas industry.

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    Replies
    1. Sekurang-kurangnya kalau ada hak Sabah boleh juga dijaga.

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  10. Federal government should consider the affairs of the people in this matter.

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    Replies
    1. jika dilihat sekarang ini Sabah dan Sarawak semakin menadapat perhatian berbanding dulu.

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  11. Please let the voice of the people be heard this time.

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    Replies
    1. the people voice should be prioritize just like the 1Malaysia slogan portray- People first.

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  12. Both states should be treated with equity.

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  13. Baru-baru saya terbaca surat khbar kononnya, Sabah bukan lagi negeri termiskin.

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  14. Entah kenapa saya tidak gembira bila membaca artikel itu... Yang pasti artikel itu tidak menggambarkan suasana sebenar Sabah.

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  15. apa pun, usaha untuk membangunkan Sabah perlu diteruskan..

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  16. We know that Sabah deserves get more because source from Sabah. But the past agreement hard to changing. At least now Sabah in progress development and State govt want resolve and proof that Sabah not anymore the poorest state in Malaysia.

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