GIVE power of petroleum back to the states, no one company is a gate keeper.
In response to ongoing petroleum rights seek by states from Putrajaya, it’s high time Putrajaya return petroleum rights to respective states in the spirit of federation, said Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM) committee member Sharan Raj.
Sharan told FocusM that the petroleum wealth belongs to state not federal government.
“Putrajaya’s control over petroleum rights through the Petroleum Development Act (PDA) 1974 from the states is against the spirit of the federation,” he pointed out.
“The PDA 1974 was enacted while both Kelantan and Sarawak were still under emergency.”
Technically, Sharan said PDA 1974 was forced down the throat of the states while suspending the states’ democratic rights.
UMNO has snatched away the petroleum rights and it is never too late to rectify this historical mistake, he added.
In this regard, Sharan urged Putrajaya to return petroleum rights to the respective states in the spirit of federation.
“Give the rights back to the states, there is no gatekeeper to this country’s wealth.”
Elaborating, he added companies such as Petronas can act as exploration companies, but not as stakeholders to this liquid gold. – Dec 30, 2020
