By Amanda L
KUCHING, Jan 27: Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg today said that any claim suggesting the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) does not cover oil and gas matters should be resolved through the courts.
He was responding to remarks by Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reform), who recently stated that while MA63 grants broader autonomy to Sabah and Sarawak as founding partners of Malaysia, it does not contain provisions on the ownership, management, or regulation of oil and gas resources.
Azalina emphasised that MA63, as a foundational document, sets out the terms for the formation of Malaysia, including specific rights and safeguards for Sarawak and Sabah, but does not address oil and gas matters.
“Wait for the court’s decision,” Abang Johari said when met by reporters after attending the Asia Pacific Aerospace Conference and Exhibition (APACE) 2026 at the Borneo Convention Centre Kuching (BCCK) here today, stressing that the final legal interpretation should come from the judiciary.
The remarks come amid ongoing discussions over Sarawak’s resource rights, particularly regarding the roles of Petroleum Sarawak Berhad (Petros) and Petroliam Nasional Berhad (PETRONAS), with the state asserting its autonomy over natural resources as guaranteed under MA63 and the Federal Constitution. — DayakDaily
