Press Statement – SUPP youth

suppadmin | March 22, 2014

SUPP Youth Central firmly believes that the timing is right for Sarawak United Peoples’ Party (SUPP) to fight for greater autonomy and self-rule (except on defence and foreign affairs) within the context as spelt out in the Malaysia Agreement, in particular on the 18 points agreed upon before and during the formation of Malaysia. SUPP Youth feels that this is important as SUPP being a locally based political party can truly understand the aspirations of local Sarawakians, something foreign or West Malaysia based political parties, the oppositions in particular cannot deliver.

SUPP Youth believes that a re-examination of the terms of forming Malaysia must be carried out, specifically on Sarawak’s rights to manage our own natural resources (Oil and Gas resources to be specific) for the accelerating development and rapid growth that is currently taking place in Sarawak. This is because the 5% oil and gas royalty and lack of infrastructure are genuine complaints by the people of Sarawak.

In the above context, SUPP Youth fully and wholeheartedly supports our Chief Minister YAB Tan Sri Adenan Satem’s recent statement that Sarawak should consider asking the Federal Government to increase the State’s oil royalty from 5% to 20% which extra revenue could be utilized to address our poor infrastructure compared to Peninsular Malaysia as our state is almost as big as the Peninsular Malaysia and our population is growing on a rapid pace.

Apart from that, SUPP Central Youth Secretary General Wilfred Yap pointed out that YAB Tan Sri Adenan Satem was a minister on both federal and state level before he was appointed as Sarawak’s Chief Minister. Not only does he possess in-depth knowledge in administering the state’s development, he has the necessary experience and know-hows to propel the state’s economy forward.

Even though no formal request has been made by the State Government of Sarawak for an increase in Oil Royalty, SUPP Youth urges the Federal Government on their own initiative to increase the oil royalty from 5% to 20%. The increase from 5% 20% oil royalty could go towards the accelerated development of Sarawak.