By DayakDaily Team
KUCHING, May 10: Lord Denning, a celebrated English judge, once said, “Rights once given cannot be taken away”, and that applies to Sarawak over its rights to its oil and gas (O&G) resources.
In a statement, analyst Dato Peter Minos said that Sarawak’s rights over its O&G are governed by the Malaysia Oil Mining Ordinance (OMO) 1958, reinforced by the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63), and passed long before the Petroleum Development Act (PDA) 1974 was established.
“Who is there to question our rights? Who is there to usurp our rights? Nobody, definitely not PDA 1974, (which was) passed rather surreptitiously.
“I say it is ‘flawed’ because it was never passed by or through Sarawak’s (Legislative) State Assembly, as constitutionally stipulated and required. Our OMO 1958 is still subsisting and was passed long before PDA 1974,” he said.
Minos also cited the Sarawak Land Code of 1957, under which Sarawakians have absolute rights over the land in the State.
“Pari passu, our OMO 1958, which gives our absolute rights to our oil and gas found in Sarawak’s soil and its continental shelf.
“PDA 1974 cannot and must not override our rights to our own oil and gas.
“We extend our Premier (Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg) best wishes and good luck in defence for our oil n gas rights,” he said. — DayakDaily
