‘Petronas may file case in High Court in Kuching’

KUCHING: Assistant Minister of Tourism, Arts, Culture, Youth and Sports Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah opined that Petronas will file its case in the High Court in Kuching.

He said this was because the subject matter brought by Petronas is related to state matters.

“Because the subject matter brought by Petronas is related to matters in the state, and as a lawyer my self, they ( Petronas) have to file the case in the High Court in Kuching,” Abdul Karim told a press conference here yesterday.

The conference at Grand Margherita Hotel was to announce the 2nd Asia Pacific Hash Run to be held here this July 5 to 8.

He was asked for comment on the Federal Court decision yesterday which dismissed the leave application filed by Petronas to commence proceedings against the State Government of Sarawak, over ownership right to Sarawak’s oil and gas.

The Chief Judge of the High Court of Malaya, Tan Sri Dato Wira Ahmad Maarop, in dismissing the application held that the declarations sought by Petronas do not come within the ambit of Article 4( 4) of the Federal Constitution.

Abdul Karim thanked the state legal team for having successfully passed the first hurdle saying that the court decison acknowledged the rights of Sarawak within the existing state laws.

“With the court decsion, at least we know the boundary and perimeter of our rights,” he pointed out.

Abdul Karim also believed that all Sarawakians, irrespective of political ideologies and affliation are fully united to protect the rights of the state.