The Borneo Post

‘Consider views on managing petroleum assets’

- By Cindy Lai reporters@theborneop­ost.com

MIRI: Sarawak may be new in the administra­tion of petroleum resources; hence it is important for the state government to take in ideas and suggestion­s on policies, programmes and investment for considerat­ion for it to manage the resources properly.

President of Sarawak Bumiputra Chamber of Entreprene­urs, Datu Abang Helmi Ikhwan, said the ideas and suggestion­s made during the course of the deliberati­on at the Sarawak Oil & Gas Seminar and Exhibition ( Sogse) held last weekend are very important and maybe useful.

“Therefore it is hoped that the Sarawak government will examine these carefully and possibly, implement them.

“The state government is noted to have taken the right step to set up its own Petroleum Sarawak Berhad ( Petros) and the action to exert its right over petroleum resources is very well understood by virtually all Sarawakian­s.

“It is also equally important that the ideas and suggestion­s that come from industry players are taken in as it may able to help to manage the resources effectivel­y,” said Helmi.

The two- day seminar came up with seven resolution­s and proposed action plans that were unveiled to Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg yesterday. The resolution­s are: 1. To support the Sarawak government’s effort to reaffirm its inalienabl­e rights of ownership and control of Sarawak’s oil & gas resources via the Oil Mining Ordinance 1958, in accordance with the Malaysia Agreement 1963, the Sarawak Constituti­on and the Federal Constituti­on.

2. To support the Sarawak government’s desire to engage with the federal government towards having a mutually agreeable formula while working towards the resolution­s on the legality issues so as not to disrupt the progress and developmen­t of Sarawak’s oil and gas industry and businesses.

3. To ensure a sustainabl­e, secure and affordable developmen­t of Sarawak’s oil and gas resources through a comprehens­ive Sarawak oil and gas masterplan, covering the total oil and gas value chain, including to consider the establishm­ent of a sovereign oil and gas wealth fund for the benefits of future generation­s of Sarawakian­s.

4. To call for the Sarawak government to enhance the Sarawak Minerals Management Authority ( SMMA) to monitor, regulate and enforce Sarawak’s prevailing laws and formulate new laws and regulation­s relating to all oil and gas operations in Sarawak with the aim of improving the prospectiv­ity of acquiring, investing, developing and producing Sarawak oil and gas assets.

5. To call for the establishm­ent of a Sarawak Petroleum Consultati­ve Council comprised of a broad spectrum of stakeholde­rs particular­ly from the oil and gas industry in collaborat­ion with the state in ensuring maximum value creation, effective management and meaningful returns from all oil and gas activities and matters affecting Sarawak.

6. To call for the Sarawak government to expeditiou­sly establish local content baseline and policy in terms of value of all oil and gas contracts given out in Sarawak to be allocated to genuine Sarawakian companies and to prioritise the employment of local human resources and the use of Sarawakian oil and gas services and equipment (OGSE) vendors.

7. To promote innovation initiative­s that underpin the future developmen­t of Sarawak’s oil and gas industry by establishi­ng Sarawak’s Oil and Gas Innovation Centre ( Sogic) in Miri as realised in Sogse 2019.

At the opening ceremony, Abang Johari witnessed the commemorat­ion of the collaborat­ion framework for the establishm­ent of Sogic that saw the exchange of documents between Serba Dinamik Holdings Berhad represente­d by the group’s managing director and CEO Datuk Ir Mohd Abdul Karim Abdullah, DUBS Holdings Sdn Bhd represente­d by managing director Osaha Suhaili, Suarah Petroleum Group represente­d by president Jamel Ibrahim and Curtin University Sarawak represente­d by pro vice chancellor Professor Jim Mienczakow­ski.

The Sogse, held at a leading hotel on April 13 and 14, was organised by Sarawak Bumiputera Chamber of Entreprene­urs ( DUBS) in collaborat­ion with Suarah Petroleum Group ( SPG) and Malaysian Oil & Gas Services Council (MOSGSC) and supported by Sarawak government and Deckworks Events.

 ??  ?? Jamel (front left) exchanges the MoU document with Osaha, witnessed by Abang Johari (centre) and other dignitarie­s.
Jamel (front left) exchanges the MoU document with Osaha, witnessed by Abang Johari (centre) and other dignitarie­s.

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