KUCHING: Batu Kitang assemblyman Lo Khere Chiang has expressed shock and disappointment over the rejection of an application for investment tax allowance from Sarawak Energy’s subsidiary Baleh Hydro Power Generation by then federal Minister of Finance, Lim Guan Eng in 2019.
In a statement yesterday, Lo said he was shocked and disappointed that Lim had rejected the application without assigning any reason.
“I applaud Baleh Hydro’s insistence on filing a judicial review to challenge the then finance Minister Lim Guan Eng’s decision to reject the company’s application for a tax incentive claim without providing reasons,” he said.
He added that what irks him most was why DAP Sarawak did not come to their defence and that they had miserably failed to protect the interest of Sarawakians on the issue.
“They even failed to speak up for Sarawakians on this matter even though there is a need to reiterate the huge savings with the decision of this Court.
“The court has effectively allowed Baleh Hydro to claim the investment tax allowance of 100 percent of the qualifying capital expenditure incurred between 2018 to 2027 of which this savings of RM 10.9 billion tax allowance will undoubtedly be put to good use by our GPS government,” he said.
He added that there were still so much to do in Sarawak among them are upgrading the infrastructure, improve the conditions of schools and upgrading the lives of the people especially those who live in the rural areas.
“There are so many things the GPS government wants to do to uplift the lives of Sarawakians. But instead, here, we have the DAP trying to ‘rob’ us the chance of having this RM10.9 billion tax allowance. This is indeed cruel and unacceptable.
“I also learned that many Sarawakians are unaware of this incident and they feel that this is undoubtedly shocking.
“We need to remind ourselves that the Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) government is very committed and focused to develop the state further with the abundant supply of green and sustainable energy,” he added.
