Sarawak PKR today called on Sarawak Chief Minister Adenan Satem and leaders of the state BN component parties to join forces with Pakatan Rakyat to fight for the rights of the Sarawakians as enshrined in the Federal Constitution, the Petroleum Agreement and the Malaysia Agreement.

Pakatan is the only coalition that has agreed to the review and revision of the 1974 tripartite Petroleum Agreement between the federal government, the state government and Petronas and it has vowed to get the oil and gas royalty for the state raised from five to 20 percent, Sarawak PKR vice-chairperson See Chee How said.

“In the few months after his appointment, Adenan has shown his capability to lead the coalition and his readiness to initiate and carry out plans for transformation and changes.

“Such can be seen from his bold decision to engage with the opposition Pakatan and assume the Sarawakian agenda as propagated in Pakatan’s 13th general election manifesto, the Buku Jingga, and the Kuching Declaration,” See, who is Batu Lintang assemblyperson, said.

“If Adenan fails to muscle the federal BN to review and revise the Petroleum Agreement, we certainly will welcome the chief minister to bring the state component parties to work with Pakatan to realise the objective of bringing better benefits and safeguards for East Malaysians, particularly Sarawakians.

“The chief minister must keep this option open, because this should be the Sarawakian agenda,” he said at a media conference.

“The challenges posed by (Parti Tenaga Rakyat Sarawak) Teras to the State BN are slight and petty, if we are to compare them to the realisation of the Sarawakian agenda, which starts with the agreement of the state to call for the increase in the oil and gas royalty.

“The chief minister has also declared his conviction to uphold the interests and rights of Sarawakians under the Malaysia Agreement,” See said.

He said the federal government’s rejection of the state government’s request for the oil and gas royalty increase would also be a test of Adenan’s mantle .

“That is highly probable because it has been 40 years since the tripartite agreement was signed but there has never been any attempt by the BN government to review and revise the agreement, despite the obvious disparity in development and progress of the two Malaysian states (Sabah and Sarawak) as compared with Semenanjung Malaysia,” he said.

As for Teras, See said it was part of the whole BN set-up and that the squabbling and bickering were essentially their internal affair.

“It is only logical and plausible that the Sarawak BN will resolve the differences before the next state election is called,” he said, adding that PKR does not see the emergence of Teras as giving Pakatan any advantage in the coming state election.

“The possibility of Teras contesting against BN and therefore splitting the votes of the BN coalition, and thereby giving Pakatan an edge, is mere speculation and wishful thinking.”