A Changes From Petronas Royalty to Sabah

Petronas must be kidding 

By: True Sabahan 

PETRONAS recently came up with some very lame excuses including the diminishing assets and/or maturing fields' arguments to hoodwink the people of East Malaysia (Sabah and Sarawak).

For many decades now East Malaysians have been treated like simpletons to believe that our oil fields are running dry. With new technology especially in exploration and drilling, our potential oil reserves are a lot more than we are being made to believe.

Shell had been in existence in Borneo since they discovered their first oil well in Miri, the Grand Old Lady, in 1910. For decades, Shell had been extracting oil and gas from landfields to offshore fields all over Borneo.

Many foreign petroleum companies continue to exploit and explore the rich petroleum natural resources of Borneo to the deep waters in the South China Sea.

With decades of exploitation and production, the Royal Dutch Shell grew over the years to become a giant as the No.1 Fortune Global 500 companies in the world with an asset value of US$345 billion and 2011 total revenue of US$485 billion and profit of US$31 billion. Shell continues to exist until today making Miri its regional headquarters for Asia/Pacific - more than a century since its first oil well in the world.

One day, the Malaysian politicians got smart and came up with the Petroleum Act 1974 that gave birth to Petronas - an Act of Parliament that nationalised the petroleum assets of Malaysia.

By this act, all petroleum companies operating in Malaysia became Production Sharing Contractors (PSC) that limits their extraction of petroleum resources after discovery with certain terms and conditions.

By the Petroleum Act 1974, Petronas equipped with the PSC picked up step by step from Shell from the Baram Delta to Semarang and all other fields throughout Sabah and Sarawak. Shell, without the petroleum rich assets, gradually scaled down the workforce and maintained only their essential and core employees. Shell finally decided to sell and demolish the small refinery in Miri.

From 1974, Petronas grew to become another giant product of East Malaysia - the No. 68 Forture Global 500 companies in the world with an asset value of about RM500 billion and 2012 total revenues of US$97 billion and profits of US$22 billion. Petronas grew from strength to strength over the years.

At one time, Petronas Twin Tower proudly held the Guinness Book of Record's as the tallest twin tower in the world. Today, Petronas is in the Formula 1 Grand Prix calendar and is an international brand name.

There are numerous more mentions and accolades of Petronas nationally and internationally.

The making of Royal Dutch Shell and Petronas from our petroleum resources sounds fantastic.

Even though Petronas has been making profits for decades now, Sabah and Sarawak do not have RM500 billion worth of "bacon" in reserves to be proud of unlike Petronas assets. Even though Sabah and Sarawak accounted for 80 percent of Malaysia's petroleum production that contributes to 40 per cent of the Federal Government annual revenue - and I am not even talking about other resources such as oil palm and timber, shamefully, Sabah is among the poorest states in Malaysia.

Brunei pales in comparison to Sabah and Sarawak but Brunei has no foreign debt and Brunei $1 is equal to RM2.50+. In the 70's B$1 equaled M$1. Brunei is wise enough to invest and get valuable returns from the petroleum money and be able to provide their citizens with many goodies that Sabahans may not have heard of or let alone expect.

Our crude oil is "light sweet crude oil" which is of a higher grade than crude oil extracted from Middle East countries which are "heavy sour crude" due to their high sulphur content.

With the revenue we are getting from our oil and gas Sabahans should not have to pay income tax just like the citizens of Brunei, and our youths should not have to fight for a place and pay for their higher education.

Education should be free for all Sabahans!

With the revenue we are getting from our oil and gas the Petronas twin towers should have been located in Kota Kinabalu (not that we need it.

We do not need props to boost our ego or lack of self confidence as we already know that we are as good and as capable as anybody)

After more than a century of explorations, exploitation, development and extraction of our valuable petroleum resources in East Malaysia, where do all these leave us? Who can be held accountable for the "petroleum resources drain" from our fields? As it stands now we won't even be able to "smell" the oil before it is piped to Bintulu for refining.

Why are the refineries not built in Sabah? What can we expect from now on into the future?

Those and many more questions arise for the special committee appointed by Prime Minister Najib to study the issue before submitting its proposal to the Federal Government.

Najib only targeted the study for the eastern states of West Malaysia (Terengganu and Kelantan) as if its an "election lip service" because it was announced so close to the 13th General Election.

In fairness, Sarawak and Sabah Chief Ministers jumped in at the right time to ask to be included in the study. Otherwise, for decades now, nothing has been done more about the 5 per cent royalty.

To-date, it has never been officially and publicly announced how the 5 per cent royalty is derived and accounted for from the actual production and accounting.

The people of Sabah and Sarawak do not know what happened to the 5 per cent that we get from the petroleum revenue from Petronas and/or the Federal Government. From the figures obtained from the internet, 5pc of the net revenue amounts to about 1.10 billion ringgit.

The other question for Sabah is, "Why does the government decide to spend billions to install a pipeline to Bintulu a distance of some 500km?" Is there insufficient land to build a refinery and storage tanks for petroleum in Sabah?

Why is there no refinery in East Malaysia as two of the biggest petroleum producing states of Malaysia when a small refinery in Miri was sold and demolished by Shell? What justifications are there to build refineries and petro-chemical plants in Johor, Melaka and Negeri Sembilan which do not produce petroleum?

For East Malaysian, how can Petronas continue to bully us into accepting their lame explanations that the fields are depleting, maturing and other excuses only fit for kids (after more than a century Shell is here to stay and still making money)? It is now time for the people of Sabah and Sarawak to stand firm and not accept any excuses and vie for change.

They kept taking away all our precious resources (petroleum, timber, oil palm, et cetera) and gave us back pittance. For example, election after election for almost half a century we heard about the Pan Borneo Highway to link Sabah and Sarawak but until today we have to drive patiently through Brunei as if our patience will last forever, not to mention the deplorable condition of the 'highway' to Kudat.

When the World Bank last year reported that we are among the poorest of Malaysia states, within months they said we have recovered as if "Rome was built in one day". Our petroleum resources are valuable; and so are our votes for the 13th General ElectionÉ

Polls Issues then and now in Sabah

The issues raised during election time now seem more appropriate. The main issues now are more on the economy - such as the country's economic growth and the government in power's performance. The election today is more or less the same as in other countries practicing parliamentary democracy, and in particular those in the Western countries.

In these latter countries, there are always two main parties vying for power. Such is the case, for instance, in the United Kingdom where the two dominant parties vying for power at every election are the Conservative Party (Right) and the Labour Party (Left). And in the United States, the two parties are the Democratic Party (Left) and the Republican Party (Right). President Obama, the Democrat President of the United States is now facing Romney, a Republican nominee and candidate to face Obama at this year's election scheduled in November.

The issues mentioned and being debated is Obama's performance in the past three years since taking over from the Republican president, George W. Bush. Obama is seen as leading his rival at the Gallup polls. Its always a good sign for the incumbent if the polls show him in the lead. Malaysia as a nation is inching closer and closer toward a developed nation status.

The indications, based mainly on our economic performance, rapid infrastructural developments, industrial developments, etc, are all showing the signs that Malaysia is indeed already a developed nation and can rival many of the Western countries in the European Union - such as Greece, Spain and Portugal, and even Ireland. And in the Asean countries, we are now ahead of Singapore, Thailand and Indonesia in terms of economic growth according to the latest reports.

It is no wonder, therefore, that Malaysia's election platforms by the various political parties - amongst the Barisan Nasional fold as well as amongst the Opposition - are focusing on the economic performance by the incumbent Barisan Nasional government. But in this particular issue, the BN coalition government has no worry.

The records of its performance since the year Malaya got its independence in 1957 and later, when Malaysia was formed in 1963, show consistent economic growth in the nation.

How many of us, once living in the rural areas, especially in the kampongs, can truly say that there has been a vast improvement in our way of life - for the better.

I for one, must always give thanks to the excellent work of our leaders - past and present, that our country has indeed prospered and with it, our living standards.

I dreamed, for instance, of the once rustic environment of my kampong - kg Kambau - in the Penampang district. I wished I have the talent of an artist so that I can draw and paint what was then a rustic kampong, now turned into a modern day township with roads, crisscrossing everywhere, piped water and of course electricity! All the conveniences of modern day living are there.

And the credit for all these must surely go to our past leaders. Particularly to the Founding Fathers.

The second Prime Minister, Tun Razak, the father of the present Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib, once held the Ministry of Rural Development and I believe, he did not want any other Ministry to look after. And he had a reason for it. He wanted to see the rural people in Malaya and later in Malaysia, reap the benefits of being an independent nation with high standards of living.

Indeed, when Sabah finally agreed to join in the formation of the Federation of Malaysia, 1961, it was because they witnessed the rapid economic growth in the rural areas of Peninsula Malaya. First, it was Sabah's foremost leader, Tun Stephens, then opposed to the idea of the formation of Malaysia, who soon changed his mind on the matter. And he cited the excellent rapid economic growth of the rural areas under Razak as one of the main reasons why he changed his mind.

Then he was followed by Sabah's bumiputra leaders - Ketua Kampungs, Native Chiefs and other community leaders who were sent over to Malaya to witness the improvements in the rural areas in the various States in the Peninsula.

There are hilarious stories about the escapades of our rural chiefs visiting Kuala Lumpur for the first time, but these stories hide the facts that when they returned to Sabah they told their respective people of the goodness of the rural development in Malaya. It was these people, their opinions on the proposed formation of Malaysia that mattered in the end. And later, when I myself served as a District Officer in one far corner of the State, I noticed that there was a big book, called the "Red Book". The book contained the various areas that needed to be improved or developed in the whole district.

It was a map of the proposed development of the district. Roads - rural, feeder as well as highways were mapped and distinguished, clinics, schools to be erected and built were shown. The map of development in that Red Book did not leave anything, all were mentioned and mapped out.

And all this was because of the love of one man, who later became our second Prime Minister, Tun Razak, - his love for the country, for the people and his dream of their economic growth and high standards of living in the future. We can say that we are the recipients, the beneficiaries of such policies of the past and now.

The present leaders of the Barisan Nasional coalition government are conscious of the Opposition stands and their propaganda to wrest power from the BN government. But so far, we have not seen the Opposition parties "budget" or "action plan" for the nation, for example. All that we have heard or seen in their various pronouncements is that there is a need "for a change in Putrajaya" - that they aspire to take over Putrajaya.

The voters are not simple minded nor gullible I am sure. To sit in the pinnacle of power and to take over Putrajaya is no mean feat. This place is meant for the leaders who are truly tested and who have the interests of the people and nation. The BN leaders, both State and Federal, are all well and truly tested for their experience and dedication to the nation and people.

The records of the present Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib, as a leader and Prime Minister, since taking over the mantle from Tun Ahmad Badawi are all there for us to see. And, as is the records of the present Chief Minister, Datuk Seri Musa Haji Aman since taking over the leadership of Sabah Umno and Sabah BN nine years ago.

Today, Sabahans should be grateful that the State has the best economic growth in the nation, has the highest amount of savings in the Consoladated State funds and also the best forest management in the region.

That foreign investments in Malaysia as well as in Sabah have increased by the billions of ringgits must surely speak for the great confidence by the BN government performance in the country and State. Are Sabahans so gullible and prepared to throw all these just so that we see a new face in Sri Gaya?

We are no longer that gullible as we once were and we take heart that the BN coalition is still far ahead in the estimation of the populace. The polls show that the Prime Minister is still ahead in popularity - more than 58 per cent. And so is the Sabah Chief Minister. He is seen as the man of "all seasons" and truly represents 1Malaysia as a person and indeed, truly Malaysia.

The polls issues then and now

By: Tan Sri Panglima Herman Luping

Daily Express

Minimum Wages for Sabahan private worker.

May is looking good for about three million workers nationwide and slightly more than 17,000 Sabah civil service staff as they celebrated Labour Day. Workers in Sabah and Sarawak will now earn a minimum wage of 800 ringgit ($264); 900 ringgit for those on the peninsula. And Sabah government employees will get a windfall from arrears of their salary increment that dates back to January.

It was a delicate balancing act for Prime Minister Najib Razak who introduced the minimum wage on the eve of Labour Day. The lowest-paid, according to Najib who is also finance minister, is guaranteed of an income “that lifts them out of poverty and helps meet the rising cost of living.” His government is sure that the floor wage does not eat too deeply into the pockets of employers.

However economists note that many employers are already paying their workers above the minimum. But it cheers up those who have been earning less than it and assures new workers of a comfortable income.

It could be a boon to Najib who is expected to call snap polls later this month or next. Thailand’s Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra and Taiwan’s President Ma Ying-jeou won handsome elections after they raised the minimum pay of their citizens.

A pay rise of between 7% and 13% for Sabah civil servants under a new Malaysian remuneration scheme will cost the Sabah government about 61.4m ringgit a year, according to Chief Minister Musa Aman.

He said after a cabinet meeting in Kota Kinabalu on May 2 that civil servants could expect to be paid their new salaries plus arrears at month end.

His government has also extended the retirement age from 58 to 60 as of January. – Insight Sabah

http://insightsabah.gov.my/article/read/1784

Pictures by Ille Tugimin

Unity For The People Of Sabah

Unity for the sake of the party and the struggle for the people of Sabah, continues to be the cornerstone of Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS).

PBS president Tan Sri Joseph Pairin Kitingan paid tribute to the leaders, members and supporters of the party for their unwavering and undivided loyalty to PBS and its struggle.

"It is the perseverance and faith of the members and supporters that have seen PBS through thick and thin and going from strength to strength all these years," he said at the 'Unity Night' dinner last night held in conjunction with the party's 26th Congress.

The congress was opened earlier in the day by Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.

The party president also attributed the commitment of PBS members to the spirit of cooperation within the Barisan Nasional to the party's ability to effectively serve and look after the interest of the people.

"This Malam Bersatu or Unity Night is also a celebration of our unity and a time for us to strengthen our bond in an informal atmosphere," he added.

Pairin also presented cash prizes to three divisions which recorded the highest number of new members during the party's 1PBS membership drive launched last year. The three divisions were Matunggong, Sook and Tambunan which won RM3,000, RM2,000 and RM1,000 respectively.

Racial tension if RCI call denied

Racial tension may flare up in Sabah if the people's call for a Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) on illegal immigrants and the Project IC is turned down by the government, said the Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP).

Its Adviser Datuk Mohd Noor Mansur said contrary to what certain people believe the likelihood of a racial tension in Sabah would be greater if the government continues to ignore this matter (setting up of RCI) because "the natives in Sabah are already not very happy with it (the huge presence of illegal immigrants in the State)."

"This is my sincere opinion on this matter. I also would like to stress here that our party's intention in saying this, or our call for the setting up of a RCI, is not because we are against any race, but because of the fact that we must follow the law, even in becoming a citizen of this country," he said in a press conference held at the party's headquarters in Bornion Centre, Luyang, here Friday.

Deputy President Haji Amde Sidek, Vice President Dullie Haji Marie and other leaders representing about 10 different ethnic communities throughout Sabah were also present.

Mohd Noor said the party has since several years ago demanded together with various non-governmental organisations and political parties in Sabah the setting up of the said RCI.

"The demand has nothing to do with or does not involve the question of any race or religion at all, as it is only focused on the law of this country, rules and regulation and sovereigntyÉit does not touch on the sensitivity of anyone especially Malaysians in Sabah. So one should not dare to make any statement to frighten the people in the State on the formation of RCI," he said.

The party's stand is that everyone has the right to apply for a Malaysian identity card (IC) but this must be through a legal and transparent process, he said.

He said the party's petition campaign has collected more than 50,000 signatures from Malaysians in Sabah who wanted the Federal Government to set up the said RCI to end the problem of illegal immigrants in the State whose figures have already reached at alarming hundreds of thousands.

He said the signed petition letter has already been submitted to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Najib Tun Razak and Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin in Parliament by the party's delegation led by Deputy President and Sepanggar MP Datuk Eric Majimbun.

A copy of this letter had also been handed over to Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman.

Mohd Noor said the party demanded the government set up the said RCI because it wants it to do a comprehensive study on the illegal immigrant influx in Sabah, the drastic population increase and growth in the State as well as to clean up the State's electoral roll and investigate thoroughly the so-called "Project IC".

He said the government as reported has set up several investigation bodies like a Lab on Illegal Immigrants, a Parliamentary Select Committee and launched the 5P and 6P programmes, but all of these seem to have no follow up action and ineffective in solving the long-standing illegal immigrants problem in the State.

Because of this he said it is most appropriate for the government to set up the RCI in Sabah, so as to get an ultimate solution to this mother of all problems in the State.

Sources: Daily Express Newspaper

Picture: Google Image

illegal assembly

Sabah NGOs voice their objection to illegal assembly

Illegal assembly create havoc. Permission from the government is required and must before you start any assembly. Think first before you act. 

KLANG: Ten businessmen and 18 non-governmental organisations (NGOs) here lodged police reports urging for stern action to be taken against those participating in an illegal assembly scheduled for July 9.

The businessmen were from the tourism and hotel sector while the NGOs included the Kampung Idaman Malay Youth Association (Pekidam), Pulau Ketam Youth Association, the Sungai Pinang Federal Village Development and Security Committee (JKKKP) and Belia 4B Kawasan Kota Raja.

People's Progressive Party (PPP) national assistant information chief Tiong Yap Choon said the proposed illegal assembly by trouble makers also caused fear among Asean member countries participating in the Asian Ice Skiing Competition to be held in a shopping complex in Petaling Jaya early next month.

He said the participating countries such as Indonesia, Singapore, Thailand and Hong Kong had contacted him asking for assurance on their safety.

"However, we have already convinced them that the security situation is under control and that the authorities are ensuring their safety.

In KOTA KINABALU, NGOs in Sabah rejected the illegal assembly, describing it as an alien culture in the State.

The advisor of the Sabah Kadazandusun Murut Welfare and Education Association (Pekadin), Latif Kandok, said many other channels could be used to express dissatisfaction including through the legal process.

"Demonstrations or illegal assemblies are not part of our culture.

Right from the start, the people of Sabah love peace and moderation in life especially when it comes to racial harmony," he said Tuesday.

President of the Sabah Tidung Association, Datuk Juslie Ajirol, said the illegal assembly under the guise of democracy would only jeopardise national security and peace.

Other NGOs that expressed their opposition included the Tawau Area Fishermen's Association, Persatuan Bangsa Sungai Sabah (Sabas), and the Tawau Malay Taxi Owners and Drivers Association (Persarum)

Story Arrangement By: Harry George

Sources: Daily Express and Bernama Online

 Picture By: Google Image

biometric system to prevent PTI

Sabah Immigration has gone biometric

I really don't like the PTI in Sabah. How can we prevent them from entering to our beloved country of Sabah? Although there is a few illegal imihgrant in Tamparuli but in other area such as Sandakan, Keningau and Kota Kinabalu you cannot count it with finger. Huh We need to joint hand together to solve this problem... we must take action or our future generation will SUFFER!!!

The Sabah Immigration Department has fully implemented a biometric system at all border entry points in the State in an effort to check cross-border crime.

Its Director, Mohammad Mentek, said the installation of the system was completed in April and a dry run was conducted in May.

"The system is commissioned starting this month and the use of fingerprint scanning system is running smoothly," he told reporters here, Wednesday.

Mohammad said the adoption of the biometric system could help prevent cross-border crime as it would provide information on foreign nationals, who overstay and use false passports, and their entry and exit points.

Meanwhile, four masterminds of human trafficking and immigrant smuggling activities, including a Filipino woman, were arrested in an operation mounted by the Sabah Immigration Department here last Sunday.

Mohammad said the four masterminds comprised two Philippine nationals and two Malaysian men aged 39 and 40.

He said 21 Filipino women were also detained in the five-hour operation which began at 9.45pm. Two of the masterminds were nabbed with seven Filipino women at a hotel here, while the other two were arrested with 14 other women in a raid on a house in Batu 7.

He said only one of the Filipino women possessed a valid passport, while the rest did not have any identification documents.

Mohammad said the four masterminds had been remanded for a week to facilitate the investigation under the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants Act 2007, while the women were also being held for further action under the Immigration Act.

He said initial investigation found that the suspects had smuggled in the women to Sandakan by promising them jobs as nightclub singers and waitresses in Sabah, Labuan and Sarawak.

"The masterminds were also believed to have provided the women with all travel requirements, including forged passports.

"We also believe that Sandakan is just a transit district before the women were deployed elsewhere," he added.

Story By: Harry George

Sources From: Imigrestion Department, Daily Express

Picture: Google Image