The Sarawak government will continue to request for a fair return from the exploitation of its natural resources especially from oil and gas reserves, the state legislative assembly heard today.

State Second Finance Minister Wong Soon Koh said the benefits could be in the form of compensations, royalties and other forms.

"The state government has always had the interest of the people at heart and Sarawakians deserve to benefit more from the exploitation of oil and gas resources," Bernama quoted the minister as saying during the winding up session for his ministry in the assembly.

In terms of revenue, the oil and gas sector is expected to contribute RM1,012 million or 36 percent of the state's total projected revenue of RM2,834 million next year, with the major share from compensation in lieu of oil and gas rights, estimated at RM933 million.

Wong, who is also Sarawak Urban Development and Tourism Minister, said besides receiving the oil and gas royalties, the state government was constantly seeking for an overall increase in the federal government's annual allocation through its annual budgetary process.

He also urged all government agencies, which had submitted their projects under the Ninth Malaysia Plan (9MP) for approval, to follow-up on their requests with the relevant ministries and departments at the federal level for the necessary funding.

RM2 billion for S'wak

He said it was necessary that a Master Implementation Plan be formulated and closely monitored by the respective ministries and implementing agencies, based on their priorities, organisational capacity and manpower, as the 9MP was to be implemented over the next five years.

Sarawak was confident that the federal government would be sympathetic to its requests as it was important that more financial assistance was allocated, especially for programmes such as housing, education, health, rural water and electrification, industrial infrastructure and roads, he said.

Under the 2006 budget, the federal government is allocating over RM2 billion for development in the state, in addition to the federal infrastructure grant of RM23.86 million.