PBDS Baru wants probe on Petronas’ mining status in state

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PBDS baru

KUCHING: Parti Bansa Dayak Sarawak Baru (PBDS Baru) Youth lodged a police report questioning whether national oil and gas corporation Petronas had the licence to operate in Sarawak.

PBDS Baru Youth chief Rapelson Richard Hamit, in a press statement yesterday, said the Youth wing decided to lodge the police report following a news online article dated Feb 18 quoting Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi  Abang Johari Tun Openg as saying that Petronas must get a prospecting licence to operate in the state.

The report was lodged at Kota Sentosa police station here yesterday, calling for probe over the matter.

In another statement yesterday, PBDS Baru president Cobbold John said the onus was on Petronas to comply with Sarawak law, and that the burden of obtaining the licence should be on Petronas – not the state government.

“Indirectly, Petronas has to comply with state laws, and the federal constitution also states that if the minerals belong to the state, licence has to be obtained accordingly under the Sarawak Minerals Ordinance 2004.”

Cobbold argued that Petronas or any other party carrying out mining activities in the state must comply with the Ordinance – failing which, that entity would be liable to be punished under the law.