Sapa calls for end to grace period, wants OMO 1958 enforced now

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Participants carry banners and placards during the peaceful gathering yesterday.

MIRI: Sarawak Association for People’s Aspiration (Sapa) is calling for the Sarawak government to immediately enforce the Oil Mining Ordinance (OMO) 1958.

Its founder Lina Soo said the grace period given to oil and gas companies operating in the state to comply and regularise with OMO 1958 was “unnecessary”.

The grace period, until end of 2019, was given after the State Legislative Assembly passed the Oil Mining (Amendment) Bill 2018 in July this year to regulate oil and gas activities in Sarawak.

“We (Sapa) do not believe that we (Sarawakians) have to wait that long as this (OMO) can be complied with immediately.

“Hence, we urge the Sarawak government to take steps to enforce the OMO now,” she said when met by thesundaypost during the ‘Petroleum Peaceful Assembly’ held at the Miri City Council (MCC) football field yesterday.

Calling the matter a “big issue”, she stressed that it is the aspiration of Sarawakians that all rights and interests of oil and gas be controlled and enforced by the Sarawak government in accordance to existing laws.

“The oil and gas belong to us; the law is with us as land owner. In this respect, this peaceful gathering held by the people of Sarawak, whom we represent, reinforces our aspiration to seek the kind cooperation of the management of Petronas and all other operators to comply with Sarawak laws,” she added.

About 20 Sapa members and members of the public gathered at the field carrying banners calling for the restoration of the state’s oil and gas rights.

Event organising chairman Fong Pau Teck said the peaceful gathering was to create awareness of the state’s oil rights which existed even before the formation of Malaysia.

Following the gathering, the participants headed to the office of Petronas Carigali in Lutong to hand over a letter seeking the cooperation of Petronas to comply with OMO 1958.

Soo said she will be speaking more on the issue during the ‘Sarawak, Our Future’ forum today (Sep 23) at Pustaka Miri Auditorium (IT Library), starting at 1.30pm.

The forum is organised by SUPP Piasau branch, and admission is free.