By Lian Cheng
KUCHING, Nov 5: Public Forum on Sarawak Oil Mining Ordinance (OMO) and Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) facilitator Lina Soo said the forum had resolved that the state government rejects the Petroleum Development Act 144, Constitutional Amendment Act 354 Sec 2 and Territorial Sea Act 750 in the Sarawak Legislative Assembly (DUN).
It insisted that the state government fully enforce the OMO 1958 and Oil Mining (Amendment) Ordinance 2018 “without fear and favour”.
She said this was one of the resolutions reached in the public forum that was held at a hotel in Sibu yesterday.
The resolutions, according to Soo, who is also State Reform Party (STAR) president, had resolved “That the Sarawak Government take cognizance of the law through its Legislative, Judiciary and Executive Powers to fully enforce the Oil Mining Ordinance 1958 and Oil Mining (Amendment) Ordinance 2018 without fear and favour in all integrity and sovereignty for the benefit of present and future generations of Sarawakians.
“And that all petroleum corporations engaged in the oil and gas industries within the territories of Sarawak, including and in particular Petronas, must abide and comply with the licensing requirements as contained in OMO,” said Soo in a statement today.
Another resolution called for the state’s recognition of the constitutional status of the Inter-Governmental Report 1962 and to reanimate the Inter-Governmental Committee with an equal number of British Members, Malayan Members, Sarawak Members and Sabah Members comprising the Constitutional, Fiscal, Public Service, Departmental Organisation, Legal and Judicial Sub-Committees, with the British Members forming the Audit Sub-Committee.
Any findings must be endorsed by the DUN.
The forum also resolved that the state government takes cognizance of the legal status of the MA63 as an international treaty registered with the United Nations and that no further negotiation be allowed, unless with the prior written consent and approval of all original signatories viz. the governments of Britain, Federation of Malaya, Sarawak, Sabah and Singapore.
Its last resolution urges the state government to be vigilant with respect to its immigration autonomous rights and to restore the requirements for all non-Sarawakians to present their passports upon seeking entry into Sarawak.
“Instead of the MA63 Special Committee, as there can be no renegotiation, we should have the IGC Special Committee based upon the original model or format, which includes the British Members to do the audit,” said Soo — DayakDaily
