KUCHING, Sept 17: Petroliam Nasional Bhd (Petronas) hopes to foster greater collaboration with the Sarawak government to ensure the sustainability of the oil and gas (O&G) industry in Sarawak.
Petronas also hopes the close partnership with the state government will enable the national oil corporation to solve various issues with regards to the petroleum industry in Malaysia and Sarawak.
Petronas chairman Tan Sri Ahmad Nizam Salleh said: “With the commitment from all parties, we can focus on integrated efforts towards exploration works and development of oil and gas fields in Sarawak, thus providing prosperity and welfare to the people.
“As a national oil corporation, Petronas is responsible to ensure the sustainability of the O&G industry.
“At the same time, we are working hard to strive for a balance between growing the business and the interests of developing the society including in Sarawak.
“To achieve this desire, we also give attention to enhance greater partnership with the Sarawak government to solve various issues relating to the petroleum industry,” he said in his speech prior to the presentation of a mock cheque for the settlement of State Sales Tax (SST) by Petronas to the Sarawak government at Wisma Bapa Malaysia here today.
Ahmad Nizam said he is confident that the O&G industry in Sarawak will continue to grow and achieve vast growth under the leadership of Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg.
He hoped the close partnership between Petronas and the Sarawak government would be further strengthened following the settlement of SST by the national oil corporation.
Ahmad Nizam noted the settlement which was reached between Petronas and the state government was based on long-term goals to ensure the sustainability of the O&G industry in Sarawak and Malaysia as a whole.
During a ceremony held at Wisma Bapa Malaysia, Ahmad Nizam handed over the mock cheque representing the payment amounting to RM2.96 billion to Abang Johari as full settlement for the SST that the national oil corporation owed to the state government for 2019.
With the payment, Petronas has fully settled the payments of SST on petroleum products for 2019 as assessed by the Comptroller of State Sales Tax in accordance with the provisions of the Sarawak SST Ordinance 1998. — DayakDaily
