Federal Court to hear Petronas suit for Sarawak’s oil and gas ownership today

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KUCHING: The Federal Court in Kuala Lumpur will conduct a full hearing on the application for leave to commence proceedings over National Petroleum Corporation’s (Petronas) claim over ownership right to Sarawak’s oil and gas resources today. The hearing was initially scheduled on June 12 but was postponed to today.

The Sarawak government, a defendant will be represented by Sarawak Attorney-General Datuk Talat Mahmood Abdul Rashid, State Legal Counsel Dato Sri JC Fong, Talat’s deputy Saferi Ali and legal officer Mohd Adzrul Azlan.

Fong when contacted yesterday evening, confirmed this. The application for leave to commence proceedings against the Sarawak government is by virtue of Article 128(1) (a) of the Federal Constitution.

All affidavits and submissions for the hearing have been delivered to the Court in readiness for the hearing.

The Sarawak government has said that it will consider all other options to protect and enforce the state’s constitutional rights in this matter. It would not allow Petronas to disrespect and disregard the state’s rights to regulate the upstream activities under Sarawak laws such as the Oil Mining Ordinance and the Land Code.

Petronas would argue that its ownership over Sarawak oil and gas resources all this while is by virtue of the Petroleum Development Act 1974.