‘Prime Minister needs to assure Sarawakians of amendment to protect territorial integrity’

KUCHING: Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg and Minister of Local Government and Housing Datuk Dr Sim Kui Hian have been called on to ask Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak to assure Sarawakians that the federal government will table an amendment to the Territorial Sea Act 2012 to show Putrajaya’s respect for the territorial integrity of Sarawak and Sabah.

Batu Lintang assemblyman See Chee How also urged Abang Johari and Dr Sim to remind Najib to give personal commitments to instruct Petronas to compensate Sarawak for its violation of the state’s rights to its resources by continuing to sign away development rights and equity stakes over Sarawak’s gas and oil fields and facilities to foreign countries.

Najib, who is the Barisan Nasional ( BN) chairman, is expected to attend the SUPP Triennial Delegates Conference ( TDC) closing here today ( Saturday).

“The Chief Minister must bring up the matters of the amendment of the Territorial Sea Act 2012, the Malaysia Agreement 1963, and Sarawak’s autonomous powers and the devolution of power with the Prime Minister, that these are matters that the Sarawak State Legislative Assembly had made reference to the federal government but is still awaiting their reply,” the state Parti Keadilan Rakyat vice- chairman said in a press statement yesterday.

“For the Chief Minister, he must personally register Sarawak and Sarawakians’ protest with the PM that Petronas had, within this one year, twice overlooked Sarawak’s sovereign rights to our territorial integrity and boundary and control over our resources.”

Last July, Petronas disposed of a 10 per cent stake in Petronas LNG9 Sdn Bhd, which owns the MLNG Train 9 Project to Thailand’s national oil company and partner PTTGL Investment Ltd ( PTTGLI) for US$ 500 million ( RM2.14 billion).

Earlier this week, Japan’s JX Nippon Oil & Gas Exploration announced that Petronas awarded to it the oil and gas rights for the Beryl gas field off the coast of Miri.

“The CM should personally find this unacceptable as these happened within his short reign of less than a year,” said See.

According to See, Petronas had in 2014 offered former Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Adenan Satem for Sarawak to acquire a 10 per cent equity stake in the Train 9 project.

“Tok Nan had instantly accepted the offer but after three years, the acquisition has yet to be finalised. However, in the interim, Petronas has sold a 10 per cent stake in Train 9 to a Japanese company, JX Nippon Oil & Energy, offered a 10 per cent equity stake in this Train 9 project to Sabah, and concluded the disposal of its 10 per cent stake in Petronas LNG9 Sdn Bhd to PTTGLI,” he said.

See alleged Petronas’ present approval and signing of the Field Development Plan ( FDP) on Oct 27, 2017, awarding the oil and gas rights for the Beryl gas field, off the coast of Miri, to Japan’s JX Nippon Oil & Gas Exploration disregards Sarawak’s sovereignty and rights.

“The CM must make emphasis to the PM that Sarawak’s territorial rights and integrity must be given full recognition and that all licensing rights are exercisable only by the Sarawak state administration,” he claimed.

See also urged Dr Sim to brief Najib on Sarawakians’ fervent demand that Sarawak and Sarawakians’ inherent rights must be fully respected by the federal government.

“To seek the restoration of Sarawak’s autonomy and rights under the Malaysia Agreement 1963 should not remain a political slogan.

“The SUPP president must sound out the PM to make a firm commitment that Sarawak’s territorial integrity must be fully restored with the amendment to the Territorial Sea Act 2012 and that the PM will take immediate charge to instruct Petronas to compensate Sarawak for its exploitation and violation of Sarawak’s rights to our oil and gas and other resources within our territory.”