KUCHING: Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) secretary-general Datuk Janang Bungsu has backed Deputy Chief Minister Tan Sri Datuk Amar Dr James Jemut Masing by emphasising that there was nothing wrong with the latter’s comments that the previous Parti Warisan Sabah (Warisan)-led state government.
Masing had said that the Sabah state government then was ‘scared’ of demanding oil and gas rights from former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohammad.
“(Warisan deputy president) Datuk Darell Leiking is correct in pointing out that the talks on oil and gas were held directly between the Sabah and Sarawak chief ministers and the Prime Minister, hence Masing is only pointing out the obvious that the Sarawak Chief Minister has the guts while the Sabah Chief Minister was lacking in guts,” he said.
In a statement on Friday (Dec 11), Janang pointed out that Sabah had only threatened to sue Petroliam Nasional Berhad (Petronas) if it failed to pay the state sales tax (SST) on petroleum products due to Sabah after Sarawak’s victory.
He said under the Pakatan Harapan (PH) administration led by Mahathir, although 17 of the 21 Sabah rights demands were resolved, Sabah never got back the rights to its petroleum resources.
“It was obvious that whatever negotiating ‘style’ Shafie (Warisan president Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal) was using can be called the ‘style of being afraid’,” he said.
Janang said that Darell, who was then Minister of International Trade and Industry during the PH administration, should have also worked harder to realise the rights of Sabah and to ensure Sabahans got the income the state deserved via exploitation of its resources by the federal government.
“Knowing the Bersatu-led government has failed the trust of Sabahans, Darell should admit and learn a thing or two from the Sarawak government.
“Nonetheless, we wish Darell all the best and may he be as loud when it comes to fighting for Sabahans’ lost rights,” he said.
