CM hopes Muhyiddin’s policies favouring Sarawak will continue under Ismail

Sarawak Chief Minister Abang Johari Openg today urged Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob to continue the concern shown by his predecessor Muhyiddin Yassin over the interests of the state.

Speaking at the state-level National Day celebration in Kuching today, he said the new leadership must continue efforts to restore Sarawak’s rights over oil and gas resources.

“I, like other Sarawakians, also want to see the rights and privileges of Sarawak as enshrined in the 1963 Malaysia Constitution and Agreement respected by the federal government and enforced as it should be.

“I sincerely hope that the new leadership will continue to respect the rights and privileges of our state and continue to listen to the wishes of the people of Sarawak to return our rights that have been eroded,” he said.

He also thanked Muhyiddin for his efforts to grant Sarawak’s rights over oil and gas sales as well as tax revenue payments.

“Over the last 17 months the government showed concern for the people of Sarawak to enjoy the revenue from its own natural resources for development although we have to share the revenue for the development of the country as a whole,” he said.

In March last year, 18 GPS MPs backed Muhyiddin as prime minister following the resignation of Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

Two months after Muhyiddin was sworn in, national oil firm Petronas agreed to settle the RM2 billion in sales tax owed to Sarawak.

The sales tax on Petronas imposed by the Sarawak government was seen as compensating for the unfulfilled promise of 20% royalties to the state by the Pakatan Harapan government.