KUCHING, Oct 5 2026: Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) Youth believed that it is reasonable to demand that greater proportion of the economic benefits generated from oil and gas resources be returned to Sarawak and be invested for the long-term benefit of its people.
Its chief Christopher Gira Sambang explained this is because for decades Sarawak’s petroleum resources have contributed enormously towards Malaysia’s development.
"PRS Youth would like to see greater oil and gas revenues channelled into rural infrastructure, clean water supply, roads, education, scholarships, digital connectivity, TVET, STEM, artificial intelligence and employment opportunities for young Sarawakians," he said in a statement when responding to a post on X by former Law Minister Zaid Ibrahim.
"Our young people should not merely watch Sarawak’s resources being extracted. They must become engineers, technologists, entrepreneurs, professionals and future leaders of the industries built upon those resources," he added.
Gira said this is particularly important to the rural Dayak communities, where some longhouses are still waiting for reliable treated water, proper road connections and better telecommunications coverage.
He added the wealth beneath Sarawak’s soil and waters must ultimately translate into better opportunities above ground for Sarawakians.
"PRS Youth therefore stands firmly behind the leadership of Premier Abang Johari Openg, in defending Sarawak’s interests," Gira said, saying that PRS Youth believes in cooperation with the federal government and Petronas, but cooperation must be founded upon mutual respect and legal certainty.
He said recent comments by Zaid questioning Petros’ position and suggesting that its role as Sarawak’s gas aggregator could take billions of ringgit in business away from Petronas should not distract Sarawakians from the fundamental issue.
Gira, who is also Tamin State Legislative Member (SLM), reminded that Sarawak’s rights cannot simply be measured in ringgit and sen.
He stressed that the issue is not about weakening Petronas, neither is it about Sarawak fighting the federal government, but it is about recognising Sarawak’s rights, respecting our laws and establishing a clear framework for Petros and Petronas to work together.
He told Zaid that the Oil Mining Ordinance 1958 (OMO 1958) predates the formation of Malaysia and remains central to Sarawak’s position concerning its regulatory authority over petroleum activities.
"At the same time, we recognise Petronas’ position under the Petroleum Development Act 1974 (PDA 1974). But the legal questions concerning the interaction between the federal and Sarawak laws should be determined through the proper constitutional and judicial processes," he said.
He noted that the joint declaration between Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and Premier Abang Johari Openg on May 21 2025 showed that cooperation is possible, saying that Petros as the sole gas aggregator in Sarawak can coexist with Petronas continuing to play an important role in the national and international petroleum industry.
"We do not want to destroy or weaken Petronas. It is a national institution which has contributed tremendously to Malaysia, and many Sarawakians have built successful careers within the organisation.
"However, cooperation cannot mean that Sarawak must surrender the rights that we have consistently defended," Gira said.
In his post on X, Zaid claimed that Petros taking over a key part of Petronas’s business would mean that Petronas stands to lose billions, estimated to be RM10 billion a year.
He also claimed that Petronas has already suffered from Sarawak's various actions and that Sarawak is challenging the very law Petronas is built on.
He also claimed that challenging PDA could undermine and even break Petronas’s national role.
He also asked Sarawak to recognise Petronas's rights over Malaysia's oil and gas under PDA, arguing that "this is non-negotiable."
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