KUCHING, Feb 15: The Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) today issued a press statement to rebut a fake online news article supposedly uploaded on sg.news.yahoo.com with the title ‘Ultimatum to Petronas — get licence or get out’.
The CMO refuted the claim that Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg supposedly gave an ultimatum to Petronas that it must obtain a prospecting licence under the Sarawak Mining Ordinance 1958.
“The office wishes to clarify that the chief minister has never issued such an ultimatum to Petronas though the onus is on Petronas to comply with the state law like any other company with prospecting and mining interests in Sarawak.
“He has always stressed that Sarawak will work alongside Petronas through its newly formed oil company Petros (Petroleum Sarawak Berhad) in the oil and gas industry in Sarawak within the ambit of the law and constitution,” the press statement said.
It was reported earlier this week that Abang Johari during the closing of the Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) convention here said that the state government will use the Ninth Schedule of the Constitution under item 8(j), to assert the state’s rights over not only mining rights and production but also over its oil and gas fields and production as well. — DayakDaily
