Sarawak election: PKR's wish list to Najib

Forty PKR candidates have issued five demands to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak including the increase in oil royalties’ percentage for the state.

PKR Election Director, See Chee How said, the demands were made by the candidates deemed beneficial to the rakyat in the State.

“It is important for us to voice our demands to the Prime Minister. Since he is here, we sought the opportunity to make the demands for the people in Sarawak,” said Chee How at a press conference held at Bangunan Wisma Bapa Malaysia here today.

The five demands included allocating 20 per cent oil royalties to Sarawak, the revocation of Sea Areas Act 2012 and Petroleum Tripartite Agreement 1974, full recognition of the Unified Examination Certificate (UEP) and the usage of English language in schools in Sarawak.

Chee How said the demands were supposed to be presented to Najib at Wisma Bapa Malaysia today, but they were barred from entering the premises by the authorities.

Chee How, who is also Batu Lintang state constituency candidate wished for Najib to give an immediate response to the demands.

PKR was scheduled to hold a media conference at the entrance of Wisma Bapa Malaysia, where the weekly Federal Cabinet meeting was held today.

Upon entering the premises, the candidates were stopped prompting them to hold the media conference under a tree not far from the building. Among those present were Federal and State PKR chiefs, exco members, PKR deputy president Dr Xavier Jayakumar, PKR Deputy Youth Fahmi Fadzil and Sarawak election PKR candidates.

Meanwhile, Najib while fielding questions from the press today said the decline in global oil prices which inevitably led to the increase in royalties to Sarawak was not appropriate to be considered at the moment.