SARAWAK GOVT TO USE LONDON PAPERS IN PETRONAS SUIT
MA63-related documents can serve as evidence of state’s rights, says assistant minister
THE Sarawak government will use Malaysia Agreement 1963-related documents found in London last year as a reference in its fight for rights to oil and gas produced in its territory.
Sarawak Law, State-Federal Relations and Project Monitoring Assistant Minister Sharifah Hasidah Sayeed Aman Ghazali said the documents discovered by a team of lawyers that she led could serve as evidence of the state’s rights.
“We will use the documents that we obtained in London. They are certified true copies, not just photocopied. These will be used to assist us as evidence in court,” she said at her Aidilfitri open house here yesterday.
She was asked about Sarawak’s preparations in facing Petroliam Nasional Bhd’s (Petronas) application in the Federal Court for a declaration that the Petroleum Development Act 1974 was also valid for the petroleum industry in Malaysia.
Petronas named the state government as respondent.
She said Sarawak AttorneyGeneral Datuk Talat Mahmood Abdul Rashid would head the state’s legal team to the hearing.
“We wait till June 21 and see whether the court will grant Petronas leave to proceed with its application.
“From there, we will see what action the state government will take,” said Sharifah Hasidah, who is Samariang assemblyman.
Petronas’ application was fixed for hearing on June 12, after it was filed on June 4, but later postponed to Thursday.