CM appoints Awg Tengah head of committee to combat unauthorised logging; adamant state to stick to higher oil, gas royalty demand
Adenan (second left) and his wife Jamilah prepare to cut the ‘pulut kuning’ to symbolically commemorate the chief minister’s one year anniversary celebration. Also seen are (from third left) Jabu, Awang Tengah and Land Development Minister Tan Sri Datuk Amar Dr James Masing. — Photo by Chimon Upon
Adenan (left) receives a portrait featuring a collection of photos from the day he took his oath as chief minister and recent special live television interview. Also seen are (from left) Jamilah, Awang Tengah and Jabu who presented the portrait. — Photos by Chimon Upon
(from left) Assistant Minister in the Chief Minister’s Office (Bumiputera Entrepreneur Development) Datuk Mohd Naroden Majais, DUN speaker Datuk Amar Mohamad Asfia Awang Nassar, Awang Tengah and Assistant Minister for Public Utilities (Electricity and Telecommunications) Datuk Dr Stephen Rundi Utom belt out a song in dedication to the chief minister.
KUCHING: Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Adenan Satem touched on three key issues in his speech during a luncheon to celebrate his one year anniversary as chief minister at a leading hotel here yesterday.
He announced that Second Resource Planning and Environment Minister Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan has been appointed chairman of a special committee to fight illegal logging, reiterated Sarawak will not back down from its request for higher oil and gas royalty and floated the idea of communal land reserves.
On illegal logging Adenan said the special committee was to create a more direct and effective implementation of the state’s Forests Ordinance.
The chief minister said he suspected some enforcement personnel are in cohort with illegal logging operators as
every time enforcement agencies raided illegal logging sites only logs and machinery were seized while the culprits had fled the scene.
Adenan cited an encroachment into Similajau National Park in Bintulu, where illegal logging operators even managed to build a railway system to transport felled timber without the knowledge of Forestry officers as one clear example to back his suspicion.
“You cannot tolerate illegal logging anymore. These people are stealing our resources. They are stealing from the state,” he continued.
Earlier in stressing the State’s stand on gas and oil royalty Adenan said negotiation to increase the royalty is ongoing with Petronas and that discussions had also been held with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.
Adenan who is also Resource Planning and Environment Minister added that Najib was open to the idea but admitted any breakthrough in the negotiation would not be reached anytime soon due to the drop in global fuel prices.
“The oil and gas resources, as long as it is situated in Sarawak waters, belong to us. We don’t care about Kelantan or Terengganu, that is their business,”
“As for Sarawak, five per cent is not enough. I will pursue on this matter until we get an increase,” Adenan said.
Adenan’s wife Datin Patinggi Datuk Jamilah Anu also attended the event organised by the state legislative assembly (DUN) event committee. Also present were Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Alfred Jabu Numpang, state cabinet members and dignitaries including Awang Tengah who is the event committee patron.
Adenan also mentioned that he remained optimistic on Petronas agreeing to allocate a minimum of RM2.1 billion worth of contracts to Sarawak companies as part of an agreement to increase local participation in the oil and gas industry.
“Petronas has agreed to allocate RM2.1 billion worth of contracts to Sarawak companies. I want to see whether they (Petronas) will do it or not as we do not want to see Sarawak companies given only crumbs while companies from the peninsula had the lion share on the eating table.
“We do not want to become mere spectators but participants in the oil and gas sector. I will pursue this matter until we achieve some degree of success,” he assured.
Touching on land issues the chief minister said there had been too many conflicts over land in the state.
He suggested that one way to resolve the situation was through the establishment of communal reserves.
Adenan explained that he is currently working on a mechanism to set up the reserves and that an announcement would soon be made.