Petronas denied bid to challenge Sarawak
THE FEDERAL Court in Malaysia has dismissed Petroliam Nasional Bhd’s (Petronas) application to commence proceedings to determine that the national oil company is the sole authority of all upstream oil and gas activities in the country, including Sarawak.
Chief Judge of Malaya Tan Sri Ahmad Maarop had on Friday morning rejected Petronas’ application of leave to commence proceeding on the matter in the Federal Court.
Petronas had last month filed an application to seek a declaration from the Federal Court on matters pertaining to the Petroleum Development Act 1974 (PDA) and its position with regard to the regulatory controls of upstream activities in Sarawak.
This came in the wake of Sarawak setting up its own oil and gas company, Petros, as the regulator of oil and gas activities in the state based on Sarawak Oil Mining Ordinance (OMO).
Petronas is seeking a declaration that the OMO was repealed by the PDA and hence Petros is not valid.
Petronas is seeking a declaration that the PDA was duly enacted by Parliament and stated that Petronas is the exclusive regulatory authority for the upstream industry throughout Malaysia, including in Sarawak.