Abd Karim: Why beat around the bush on oil, gas royalty?

July 26, 2018

KUCHING: Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) vice president Datuk Abd Karim Rahman Hamzah says the federal Pakatan Harapan (PH) government is beating around the bush, and back-peddling from one of the election manifestos – giving 20 per cent oil royalty to Sarawak.

Abd Karim, who is Minister of Tourism, Arts, Culture, Youth and Sports said he wanted the PH government to be specific on its promise to give Sarawak 20 per cent oil royalty.

He said if the regulatory laws on the oil royalty is defective then it should be amended.

Mahathir got it all wrong on 20% royalty, says Sarawak minister

July 21, 2018

PBB vice-president Karim Abdul Rahman Hamzah says there is a big difference between the existing deal Sabah and Sarawak have been receiving, which is 5% of gross sales, and the one Mahathir proposed to give. 

Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) veep Karim Abdul Rahman Hamzah says the prime minister is only trying to pacify oil-producing states by saying royalty is increased to 20% of profit.

KUCHING: A Sarawak politician is unimpressed by the recent announcement made by Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad that Sabah and Sarawak will definitely be given a 20% oil royalty but the calculation will be based on profits instead of gross sales.

Speaking to FMT, Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) vice-president Karim Abdul Rahman Hamzah said Mahathir had got it all wrong and his announcement of 20% royalties from profit will not go down well with the people in both the Bornean states.

“Royalty is a payment made to a legal owner of properties while profit is a financial benefit realised when revenue from a business activity exceeds the expenses, production cost and tax.

Dr M salah tentang royalti 20%, kata menteri Sarawak

July 21, 2018

Karim Abdul Rahman berkata ada perbezaan besar antara perjanjian sedia ada dengan tawaran Dr Mahathir. 

Karim Abdul Rahman berkata perdana menteri hanya cuba meredakan negeri-negeri pengeluar minyak apabila mengatakan royalti akan dinaikkan kepada 20% berdasarkan keuntungan.

KUCHING: Seorang ahli politik Sarawak tidak gembira dengan pengumuman Perdana Menteri Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad baru-baru ini mengatakan Sabah dan Sarawak akan diberi royalti minyak 20% tetapi kiraan berdasarkan keuntungan dan bukan jualan kasar.

Naib Presiden Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB), Datuk Karim Abdul Rahman Hamzah berkata Dr Mahathir sama sekali salah dan kiraan royalti 20% berdasarkan keuntungan itu tidak akan diterima oleh rakyat di kedua-dua negeri itu.

“Royalti adalah bayaran yang dibuat kepada pemilik yang sah manakala keuntungan ialah manfaat kewangan apabila hasil aktiviti perniagaan mengatasi perbelanjaan, kos pengeluaran dan cukai.

Petronas’ statement shows smack of arrogance, insensitivity – Abdul Karim

July 3, 2018

SIBU: Minister of Tourism, Arts, Culture, Youths and Sports Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah has described Petroliam Nasional Berhad’s (Petronas) statement as showing smack of arrogance and insensitivity.

He was referring to Petronas’ statement to maintain its claim over Sarawak’s oil and gas resources, stating it has exclusive ownership of the petroleum resources in Malaysia. 

The statement on also said it is the sole regulator of the upstream sector in the country.

Minister reminds oil, gas firms to get permits from Petros

June 24, 2018

Chong (second from right) in a group photo with Abdul Karim (on Chong’s right) and others at the latter’s Hari Raya open house at Penview Convention Centre in Kuching today.

KUCHING, June 24: Any attempt to extract oil and gas in Sarawak without a licence from Petroleum Sarawak Bhd (Petros) effective July 1, 2018, is an offence, cautioned Minister of Tourism, Arts, Culture, Youth and Sports Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah.

He said come next Sunday, Sarawak would enforce the Sarawak Oil Mining Ordinance 1958 (OMO).

“As far as Sarawak is concerned, the law is there because we have already established that from July 1, 2018, any company that is doing extraction of oil and gas must register with the state government,” said Abdul Karim when met by reporters at his Hari Raya Aidilfitri open house at Penview Convention Centre here today.

Get your facts straight on Morshidi, Sarawak minister tells DAP rep

June 13, 2018

Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah maintains that Petronas board member Mohamad Morshidi Abdul Ghani was performing the umrah in Saudi Arabia at the time of the emergency meeting.

PETALING JAYA: A Sarawak minister has slammed DAP assemblyman Dr Ting Tiong Choon for saying state secretary Mohamad Morshidi Abdul Ghani betrayed the state by missing an emergency board meeting on oil rights affecting the state.

Speaking to FMT, Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah maintained that Morshidi had been performing the umrah in Saudi Arabia at the time of the meeting.

Don’t take Sarawak for a ride, Petronas told

April 18, 2017

Assistant minister Abdul Karim says he's concerned over reports that the company is selling an offshore gas block.

PETALING JAYA: A Sarawak assistant minister has warned Petronas against taking the state for granted following fresh reports that the company is planning to sell a stake in an upstream gas project.

Speaking to FMT, Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah said he was concerned over a recent Reuters report that Petronas was pitching the sale of the SK316 offshore gas block in Sarawak.

Reuters, quoting sources, recently said Petronas was selling the block for an estimated US$1 billion. The potential bidders include Royal Dutch Shell, ExxonMobil Corp, PTT Exploration and Production, and some Japanese firms.

In February, Petronas denied reports that it was planning to sell a 49% stake in SK316.

“I hope Petronas won’t take Sarawak for a ride,” said Karim, who is the state’s assistant minister for housing.

Giving priority to Sarawakians doesn't mean have to compromise competency

August 23, 2016

KUCHING: Assistant Minister of Housing Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah believes that there is nothing wrong with Sarawakians requesting to be given priority by Petronas when hiring employees for its Sarawak operation.

“The call, I believe, is reasonable and there’s nothing abnormal to it or it being blown out of proportion by certain quarters.

“I don’t think it’s wrong for Sarawakians to request for Sarawakians to be given priority. This is one of the fears raised up by our forefathers when they negotiated the formation of Malaysia in 1963, which has led to Sarawak being given the autonomy in immigration and for ‘outsiders’ to apply for ‘work permit’ if they want to work in Sarawak,” he said.

Abdul Karim was commenting on Malaysian Trade Unions Congress (MTUC) Sarawak chairman Mohd Ibrahim Hamid’s statement that competency must not be compromised in the effort to prioritise the hiring of Sarawakians.

“Yes, I fully agree that competency must not be compromised when placing priority on hiring locals. (But) the call by various quarters in Sarawak the last few weeks was for priority to be given to Sarawakians when Petronas or its related companies were to scout for employees in its Sarawak Operation.

“If there is no Sarawakian who is qualified, surely an expatriate or anyone from outside Sarawak will have to be chosen.”

Abdul Karim, who is also Assistant Minister of Youth and Sport, said the fact that this matter was being discussed now after more than 50 years after Malaysia was born, showed that there was unhappiness among Sarawakians and that there might have been a compromise being done, or leakages in the system that needed to be ratified.

Unfair treatment by Petronas the cause for discontent — Abdul Karim

August 11, 2016

KUCHING: Assistant Minister of Housing Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah believes that all the outpouring of discontent towards Petronas by Sarawakians is the culmination of many years of feeling being treated as ‘anak tiri’ (stepchild) and second class.

Therefore, Abdul Karim, who is also Assistant Minister of Youth and Sports, hoped that Petronas would do the needful to address the problem and feeling of discontent expressed by Sarawakians.

“We expect positive action from Petronas in reviewing their employment policy, contracts for Sarawakian companies, sincere effort to establish downstream industries in the state where resources are extracted, scholarships to Sarawakians and perform more corporate social responsibility programmes in Sarawak,” he told The Borneo Post when contacted yesterday.

The issue of Petronas’ preference for Peninsular Malaysians over Sarawakians for jobs in the state itself was recently highlighted in the media.

In response, Petronas on Tuesday issued a statement, asserting its stand on hiring practices and that the decision to impose moratorium was based on “the wrong perception that its recent group-wide business restructuring had unfairly impacted its employees from Sarawak”.

Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Abang Johari Tun Openg, when asked to comment on Petronas’ statement on Tuesday, said the state government was still waiting for the details because the statement was Petronas’ response to the perception that it was not doing enough for Sarawakians.

“There must be reason for them (Petronas) to do so. So we are waiting for details before the government decides on how to proceed from there,” he said after a special briefing on the performance and future direction of Kuching North City Commission (DBKU) held at Grand Margherita Hotel here yesterday.

Sarawak is also Petronas' political master - not only Federal Government

Assistant Minister of Housing Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah welcomed the State Government's decision to freeze all new applications for work permits for Petronas' personnel posted to the state.

He said the measure was definitely a good and welcome news to all Sarawakians, and showed that Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Adenan Satem was truly serious about this matter.

“I’m very happy to hear that all new employment permits from Petronas have been frozen until particulars sought by the state government are furnished. 

"Petronas must know that their political master is not just the federal government, but the state government too," he told a local English daily yesterday.

Abdul Karim, who is also Assistant Youth and Sports Minister, reiterated that Sarawakians had been ‘insulted’ by Petronas for too long and wanted this to be stopped.

“I have said that we do not want Petronas to ‘insult’ us. 

"They have insulted us for far too long on this employment of Sarawakians matter and we want them to change their policy. Lest, we will have to tighten it on our side." 

Don’t insult Sarawak, PBB’s Karim tells Petronas

August 04, 2016

PETALING JAYA: “Don’t insult Sarawak.”

This was the curt message Sarawak Assistant Minister of Housing and PBB Supreme Council member, Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah had for the national oil-and-gas company in relation to the issue of hiring non-Sarawakians for vacancies in the state.

Speaking to FMT, Karim said priority for vacancies in Sarawak Petronas should be filled by Sarawakians and not those from outside the state.

He said this was not an absurd call as the vacancies in question were in the Sarawak branch of Petronas.

“If the vacancies are in Peninsular Malaysia, we in Sarawak cannot be bothered with who Petronas hires.

“Until and unless you cannot find an eligible Sarawakian, then you can look elsewhere,” he said, adding this was a practical approach.

Earlier today, it was reported that the Suarah Petroleum Group (SPG), a Sarawakian non-profit organisation had called on Petronas to give priority to locals when filling vacancies in the oil-and-gas company’s operations in the state.

190 govt booths at Sarikei’s leg of Sejiwa Senada Programme

February 18, 2016

Abdul Karim (seated fourth right) addresses the press conference. Also seen (seated from right) are Betong Resident Romie Daniel Sigan, Anthony, Misnu, Len and others.

SARIKEI: The third series of Sejiwa Senada Programme to be held at the Sports Complex here Feb 19-21 will provide a platform for the people to obtain the various services provided by the state and federal governments.

A total of 170 federal and state government agencies as well as statutory bodies are expected to open up to 190 booths to provide services to the public during the three-day programme, Assistant Minister of Social Development Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah told a press conference at the Resident Office here yesterday.

Likening the services to those provided at the Urban Transformation Centre (UTC), Abdul Karim said the Sejiwa Senada was a one-stop centre represented by almost all agencies under the federal and state governments.

Stop slamming oil and gas negotiations - Karim

August 24, 2014

KUCHING: The opposition has been called on to stop pouring cold water on the ongoing negotiations between the state government, Petronas, and the federal government on Sarawak’s oil and gas rights.

Assistant Minister of Youth Development Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah said the proposed 10 per cent stake in Malaysia Liquefied Natural Gas Sdn Bhd (MLNG) 4 as announced by Chief Minister Tan Sri Datuk Amar Adenan Satem recently was among the first results of the ongoing negotiations.

Speaking to thesundaypost yesterday, Abdul Karim, who is a Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) supreme council member, said the state government was still negotiating on other areas, which it felt were pertinent for review.

These include opportunities for Sarawak entrepreneurs in the oil and gas industries and educational scholarships, he elaborated.

“It is not fair for YB Chong Chieng Jen (Democratic Action Party Sarawak chairman) to just pour cold water on these ongoing negotiations. Actually, the state committees are going to look into specific areas where Petronas is requested to increase participation, and until a final decision is made, it’s wise for YB Chong to support what the CM and the state government are doing instead of just making a sweeping running down remark,” he said.

Abdul Karim was responding to Chong’s statement that Sarawak’s 10 per cent stake in MLNG 4 “is nothing to shout about”.

The Bandar Kuching member of parliament and Kota Sentosa assemblyman went on to say that the state has held 10 per cent interest in MLNG 2 and 3 since the 1990s, adding that the Chief Minister’s Office should be very well aware that a 10-per cent stake in MLNG 4 “is a totally separate matter to the 20 per cent oil and gas royalty for Sarawak”.

250 bands to join One Sarawak Youth Band Challenge 2014

August 20, 2014

Abdul Karim (left) and Sutaghani hold the brochure to announce the event.

KUCHING: Youths aged between 15 and 40 years are urged to participate in the One Sarawak Youth Band Challenge 2014, the first such event to allow local bands to showcase their musical talent.

The event is jointly organised by Ministry of Social Development and Pending Recreational Club.

Assistant Minister of Youth Development Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah said this initiative celebrated the youth’s creativity, dynamism, versatility and talent. It’s a platform to unleash their musical potential to the fullest.

Auditions would be held in four areas – Sarikei (Aug 31 and Sept 1), Miri (Sept 8 and 9), Kuching (Sept 16 and 16) and Sri Aman (Sept 19).

The venue is the respective town’s civic centre.

The closing date for registration is a week before the audition.

Those who could not make the audition at the specific area can join the audition at other areas, on condition that the band members remain.