Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP) Youth publicity secretary Milton Foo proposed a separate tier of oil prices for the state as a “temporary mechanism” to ensure “Sarawakians are treated more fairly” in view of the state’s contribution to the country’s oil production.

Foo said petroleum found in Sarawak should belong “to the people of Sarawak.”

“We deserve a separate tier or system of oil prices from Peninsular Malaysia, which should be at least 20% lower since we have contributed so much to petroleum resources in Malaysia,” he said in a statement today.

Sarawak contributes 47% of Malaysia’s total oil production.

Foo said Sarawak produced billions of ringgit worth of oil for the coffers of Petronas and the federal government.

He said Sarawak’s inherent rights over petroleum found in its territories were taken away by the Petroleum Development Act 1974, which he described as “unconstitutional, null and void as it did not follow a substantive provision of the Federal Constitution”.

“It is therefore unfair to the people of Sarawak, whose oil resources were taken away by the federal government through the device of the said unconstitutional Act of Parliament.”

He also urged that the 5% oil royalties accorded to Sarawak be re-negotiated.

“Each and every Sarawakian deserves to know how the oil and gas royalties have been calculated all these years by the federal government and Petronas.

“In this matter, all Sarawakians must stand up and be united in one collective voice and say we no longer condone the wrongful act of the federal government in further snatching our wealth.

“Return to us what is ours as safeguarded under the Malaysia Agreement 1963 and the Federal Constitution.”

This month, RON95 and RON97 petrol prices went up by 20 sen. RON95 is now priced at RM2.30 per litre and RON97, RM2.60 per litre. Diesel went up 10 sen to RM2.15 per litre and Euro 5 diesel also costs 10 sen more at RM2.25 per litre.