Sabah and Sarawak are timebombs for Pakatan

Raja Sara Petra

The Pakatan Harapan leaders went overboard in their election promises last GE14. Some were so excited about the large crowd turnout that they forgot themselves and went overboard. They may argue that these promises are not in the Pakatan Harapan election manifesto, but the promises were made nevertheless, even if only during the ceramah.

Take Rafizi Ramli’s election promise on harga minyak as one example. During the ceramah, Rafizi said hari ini Pakatan menang esok harga minyak turun ke RM1.50. Even though that was only a ceramah promise and not a manifesto promise, it is still a promise that people remember.

Sabah and Sarawak kicked out Barisan Nasional basically because of Pakatan Harapan’s promise to restore the terms of MA63 and to increase the oil royalty for these two states from 5% to 20%. Now Tun Dr Mahathir says that cannot be done.

Mahathir said you need two-thirds majority in Parliament to restore Sabah and Sarawak’s equal status. You do not need two-thirds of the SEATS in Parliament. You need two-thirds of the VOTES in Parliament. Hence if the opposition supports Pakatan Harapan’s Bill it can be done even if Pakatan does not have two-thirds of the seats in Parliament.

And the opposition already said it will support the Bill.

Mahathir then said if Petronas gives Sabah and Sarawak 20% oil royalty (which means Terengganu and Kelantan will get 20% as well) then Petronas will go bankrupt. In that case why make that election promise? This is a 40-year-old story, not something new.

After 40 years, only now you say you cannot do that or else Petronas will go bankrupt. Why not say that 40 years ago, or before GE14? Why say you will give the states 20% oil royalty during the election campaign and after winning the election you turn around and say it cannot be done?