KUCHING, April 16: Sarawak owns the rights over its oil and gas and such rights do not require the Special Council on Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) or the Federal Cabinet to endorse or approve, said Sarawak United Peoples’ Party (SUPP) Youth chief Michael Tiang.
According to Tiang, the Malaysian court had also recognised Sarawak to have ownership over its own oil and gas when Petronas challenged the Sarawak government over such matters a few years ago.
“With the Special Council on MA63 chaired by the Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin now formally handing over the full control over its own oil and gas to Sarawak government, that would only be very constructive to any further arrangements discussed between Putrajaya and Sarawak in respect of the oil and gas industries in Sarawak.
“Under the leadership of our Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg, the Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) government will continue to safeguard Sarawak’s rights of our own oil and gas so as to always put Sarawak’s privileges and interests first,” he said in a press statement today.
Tiang was responding to the outcome of the recent meeting of the Special Council on MA63 made on April 13, 2021, where Sarawak was handed over the control and management of gas distribution under the Distribution of Gas Ordinance 2016, which will take effect on June 1.
Tiang pointed out that Sarawak’s rights over oil and gas in its territorial boundary is a pre-Malaysia right pursuant to Oil Mining Ordinance 1958, which itself is an ordinance made before the formation of Malaysia.
He stressed that since the formation of Malaysia, Sarawak had never surrendered its right over its own oil and gas to Putrajaya,
“In enforcing its rights over oil and gas in Sarawak’s territory, Sarawak has since amended the Oil Mining Ordinance 1958 to further address the ownership of oil and gas in Sarawak, and in 2016, Sarawak’s legislature enacted the Distribution of Gas Ordinance to impose licensing for gas distribution,” he added. — DayakDaily
