MIRI: State Reform Party Sarawak (STAR) announced that it is eyeing Pujut, Senadin and Piasau come the next 12th state election.
STAR president Lina Soo said in a press conference yesterday the party is also ready to throw its support behind former Pujut assemblyman Fong Pau Teck if he contests Pujut.
Soo said STAR is taking this stand because Fong has consistently served the Pujut electorate right to this day.
Fong who was present at the press conference confirmed his intention to stand in Pujut.
He said he will decide on a later date whether to stand as an independent or under a political banner.
On the issue of local council elections, Soo said it is another “sick promise” of Pakatan Harapan (PH).
“Drawing upon the experiences of Penang and Selangor, they have already failed to institute council elections despite decades of state rule under Pakatan.
“If they cannot even deliver UEC recognition to Chinese schools, how can they deliver any other promise?” she said.
Soo pointed out that the Petroleum Development Act (PDA) is just another federal law which applies to the Malayan states but cannot be applied to Sarawak.
“Oil and gas belong to Sarawak; therefore, Petronas must comply with OMO (Oil Mining Ordinance) and apply for the licences to operate in Sarawak. If not, Petronas is operating illegally in Sarawak,” she stressed.
Soo said that to her knowledge, Petronas has not paid Sarawak the five per cent sales tax.
“I wish to call upon the Sarawak government to increase the sales tax on Sarawak hydrocarbons to 20 per cent in 2020, and 38 per cent in 2022.
“This is because the Federal government collects Petroleum income tax (PITA) of 38 to 45 per cent royalty, dividend, taxes and extraordinary bonuses. Sarawak cannot always be begging on its own land,” she pointed out.
