Important for people to understand OMO – Sharifah Hasidah
KUCHING: Understanding fully the Oil Mining Ordinance 1958 is a must to instill the Sarawak First policy, says Assistant Minister of Law, State-Federal Relations and Project Monitoring Sharifah Hasidah Sayeed Aman Ghazali.
With this in mind, she said that PBB Women’s Wing was now conducting a statewide roadshow to explain the OMO to the people, including those in the rural areas.
The roadshow, she added, received the full support from Chief Minister and PBB president Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg, who plays an instrumental role to enforce the OMO to regulate Sarawak’s oil and gas industry.
“Many ( PBB) branch leaders have also requested that I should go down to the ground to explain the OMO to them. Just recently Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah asked me to go to Spaoh to explain to PBB members there what OMO is all about,” she said.
Acknowledging that many people in the rural areas do not know much or are unaware of the OMO, Sharifah Hasidah said during the roadshow, she would explain to them what OMO is all about and how legislation could play a role in regulating the oil and gas industry in Sarawak, and the basic procedures.
“The response so far has been was very good. The people are very happy knowing how important it is for Sarawak to be in control of its own oil and gas resources. The roadshow is a very effective way to engage the people,” she said.
Sharifah Hasidah also said that efforts to engage the youth on OMO had also started, and the response very encouraging as well.
“The youths asked many questions. They have finally opened their eyes, and pledged to support our efforts,” she said.
Sharifah Hasidah has so far toured Dalat, Bekenu, Spaoh, Tanjung Datu, and Samariang, and very soon, she would be going to Bintulu, Lingga, Batu Kitang and Sadong Jaya.
The chief minister has announced that Sarawak would implement the regulatory rights over its oil and gas activities effective July 1, 2018.
All companies, including their contractors, sub- contractors and vendors associated with the industry, have to apply for licences from Sarawak government in order to operate in Sarawak – in accordance with the Oil Mining Ordinance (OMO) 1958, and other relevant regulations.
The OMO stipulates that all O& G industry players in Sarawak, including Petroliam Nasional Bhd ( Petronas) must comply with it. This should include the upstream activities carried out by Petronas.
Specifically, application for licences must be made in a form prescribed under OMO and submitted to the State Minerals Management Authority (SMMA) through Petroleum Sarawak Bhd ( Petros).