See: House ‘aye’ to up oil, gas royalty shows Sarawakian First

(The Borneo Post) – The unanimous vote of the august house in favour of a motion to increase the oil and gas royalty payment from the present five per cent to 20 per cent is a proclamation and a historical
landmark.

In his debate speech delivered yesterday, See Chee How (PKR-Batu Lintang) said what matters most, in the end, the main thing is that the members of the assembly has reached a consensus as all Sarawakians expected them to do.

“It was the moment that we are telling all Sarawakians and others that when it comes to safeguarding and advancing the interests of our fair land Sarawak, all our honourable members in this august house are ‘Sarawakian First’.”

Turning poetic, See shared his train of thoughts of the historic moments in a poem laced with dreams, dances, hope, faithfulness and unity anchored upon the beautiful Fair Land Sarawak.

“The ringing of the bells that proclaim our joyous tidings has immediately reached the shores of Sabah and Kelantan, and soonest Terengganu.

“It is a gross injustice that can no longer stand to reason when the four oil producing states in the country, having collectively contributed some 48 per cent to the federal government’s revenue, remain the poorest and least developed in the country,” said See who is hopeful and optimistic that the chief minister will take proactive approach to the decision of the august house on May 6.

Also close to See’s heart are the families in the lower income stratum in the state. He applauded the Housing Ministry’s proposal to build 50,000 affordable housing under the 11th Malaysia Plan reported in local newspapers on April 12.

“Basically, from the lowest stratum of our society, this is the group of families in which there is no possibility of them being able to attain the basic necessities, if the government and public sector does not step in and intervene to uplift their social-economic status.”

In identifying who they are and where they are, See suggested to turn first to the squatter families and conduct survey to identify them and get the required data.

See questioned if the government has any formal process to register such families and enter them into priority for public housing.

See requested for relevant data as well as clarification with regard to criteria to qualify for each category of public housing while pledging that members of the Dewan are ready to support and assist the government in housing the group of families at the bottom economic stratum of the society.

Touching on the remedial work to the damages to roads and drains caused by the developer and contractors of Kuching Centralised Sewerage System, See made specific reference to Green Road from Jalan Tun Abmad Zaidi Adruce-Jalan Satok junction.

“The stretch of road has become dangerous and the drains are blocked permanently causing flooding to the road, the adjoining lanes and the residential houses in the vicinity every time it rains,” he said.