SIBU, Jan 28 2026: SUPP Youth Central (SYC) today told the federal government to act consistently as Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has publicly acknowledged Sarawak’s rights and recognised Petros as the state’s sole gas aggregator.
SUPP Youth Central: Sarawak’s oil and gas rights are safeguarded by history, law and constitutional principles.
“If this is truly the federal government’s position, then why does Petronas continue to pursue legal challenges?” SYC asked in a statement in response to Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Azalina Othman Said’s written reply to a question from Saratok MP Ali Biju early this week.
“Such actions risk undermining the prime minister’s commitment and create doubts among Sarawakians as to whether the federal government genuinely respects Sarawak’s constitutional position,” it said.
SYC also said disputes between the Sarawak government and Petronas should be resolved through negotiation, not legal confrontation.
“What Sarawakians seek is fair resource distribution, constructive cooperation and long-term stability — not prolonged litigation that strains federal–state relations.
“A mature partnership must be built on continuous dialogue, mutual respect and trust, not courtroom battles,” it said.
SYS also reminded that Sarawak’s oil and gas rights are safeguarded by history, law and constitutional principles.
SYS urged the federal government to support negotiation, not confrontation; uphold partnership, not division; respect Sarawak’s constitutional rights in both words and action.
It reiterated that Sarawak’s oil and gas rights cannot be casually dismissed simply because the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) does not spell them out word for word.
“Firstly, MA63 is a founding covenant, not an ordinary document. Its spirit was to establish Malaysia with Sarawak, Sabah, Singapore and Malaya as equal partners.
“As an equal partner, Sarawak’s inherent rights over its land and natural resources must be respected.
“Any narrow or selective interpretation that ignores the historical intent and constitutional significance of MA63 is unacceptable and undermines the spirit on the formation of Malaysia.
“Secondly, Sarawak’s laws continue to carry constitutional weight,” saying that Oil Mining Ordinance 1958 (OMO 1958) was enacted by Sarawak’s legislature prior to the formation of Malaysia.
“This affirms that Sarawak constitutionally retains jurisdiction over oil and gas within its territory.
“Therefore, Sarawak’s rights, state laws and the Inter-Governmental Committee (IGC) Report must be fully respected and upheld,” SYS said.
In a written reply to a question raised by Saratok Member of Parliament Ali Biju in the Dewan Rakyat on January 26, who asked the prime minister to state the federal government’s latest stance on Sarawak’s claims relating to the Order in Council 1954 and the Territorial Seas Act 2012, as well as the extent to which the MA63 negotiations can avoid overlapping powers between Petros and Petronas.
Azalina said has said that the matter was being considered in the Federal Court based on Petronas's input and official response and that the government respects the independence of the judiciary and will abide by its decision.
Azalina also stated that MA63 is a fundamental document for the formation of Malaysia but does not contain provisions relating to the ownership, management or regulation of oil and gas, in addition to stressing that the industry is determined by federal legislation, particularly the Petroleum Development Act 1974 which vests Petronas with petroleum.
No comments:
Post a Comment