KUCHING, Dec 9: Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg is the initiator and prime mover of the deals under the Commercial Settlement Agreement (CSA) which was inked on Dec 7 between the Sarawak government and Petroliam Nasional Berhad (Petronas).
“The success of the negotiations and discussions culminating in the CSA is definitely is the watermark (sic) of Datuk Patinggi (Abang Johari)’s fine leadership. Although, the negotiations to recover the rights defined under the MA63 (Malaysia Agreement 1963) and IGCR (Intergovernmental Committee Report) was started in 2016 and not less than 13 administrative issues were settled before the PRU14 in May 2018,” Santubong MP Datuk Seri Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar highlighted in a statement today.
He also pointed out that for Abang Johari, despite the seemingly impossible elements of the situation, the latter was highly motivated, courage and knowledgeable.
“His knowledge of Sarawak rights under the MA63 and IGC Report and understanding of the oil and gas industry are excellent and that enables him to guide the negotiating team headed by Datuk Amar Awang Tengah (Ali Hasan) and the legal team under Datuk Talat (Mahmood Abdul Rashid) and Datuk Seri JC Fong that scored the success.
“Well done YAB Chief Minister and team. We Sarawakians salute you. Great event and great success for Sarawak and we pray for the continuing success of the Sarawak GPS (Gabungan Parti Sarawak) government.”
Wan Junaidi who is the Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives Minister claimed records showed that Sarawak was struggling to get any concession from the federal government between 2018 to 2020 because of the attitude of the Minister of Finance in the Pakatan Harapan (PH) government at that time.
However, following the change of government in 2020, the Perikatan Nasional government salvaged the negotiation with Sarawak, he opined, adding that Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin is accommodating and understanding, and that with the Finance Minister’s support, it eventually culminated in the signing of the CSA.
To Wan Junaidi, the signing of the CSA breaks new ground made between Sarawak and Petronas vis-a-vis the federal government and the Sarawak state government over the sharing of the oil and gas wealth obtained from Sarawak.
“The CSA, thus far, determines the arrangement and the framework of licensing, exploitation, operations of oil and gas between the state and federal government. This will determine on the scope and parameter of the wealth sharing derive from oil and gas taken from Sarawak soil,” added Wan Junaidi.
“The CSA is an integral part of the settlement of the intrusion and transgression of the Sarawak’s rights to the Sarawak’s natural rights on Sarawak’s natural resources as embodied under the Malaysia Agreement 1963 and the Federal Constitution.”
“On the bigger premise the CSA is also the registering of the recognition of the Sarawak’s rights under the Malaysia Agreement 1963 and Inter-Governmental Report and the manifestation of which in the Federal Constitution and the laws of both the Federal and the State governing the oil and gas at the inception of the Federation Malaysia 1963.” — DayakDaily
