By Nur Ashikin Louis
KUCHING, June 27: Negotiation and talks are ongoing to iron out the details on the implementation of the Commercial Settlement Agreement signed between the Sarawak government and the Petroliam Nasional Berhad (Petronas), says Datuk Sharifah Hasidah Sayeed Aman Ghazali.
The Law, State-Federal Relations and Project Monitoring Assistant Minister explained that while the Agreement has been agreed upon by both parties, the aspect of its implementation is a different area altogether.
“(The Agreement) is what we have agreed upon, but to implement it will take a bit of time and talks to iron things out,” she told reporters after officiating the Sarawak Housing Estate and Real Developers’ Association (Sheda) Kuching Branch’s “Sharing is Caring” Free Packed Lunch programme held at Mom’s Laksa eatery in Jalan Astana here today.
She also informed that the negotiations and talks between both parties are progressing well.
“As you know, because of the Movement Control Order (MCO), everything is a bit delayed and stalled. It’s not that we put it on halt but, of course, we can’t really talk and do things as fast as we would like to now.
“However, things are progressing well and we are having a lot of meetings and talks through the virtual Zoom Meeting and other ways,” she added.
On Dec 7 last year, the Sarawak government and Petronas have signed the commercial settlement agreement after having resolved their differences over the imposition of State Sales Tax (SST) on petroleum products as well as oil and gas matters.
The Agreement, among others, provides Sarawak with a greater share of revenues from oil and gas (O&G) found and produced in the State as well as provides for a more active involvement by the State in the O&G industry through the management of onshore oil and gas resources by Petroleum Sarawak Berhad (Petros) and investment by Petros in the upstream ventures in offshore areas.— DayakDaily
