KUCHING: The Petroleum Development Act 1974 (PDA 74) and the Oil Mining Ordinance 1958 (OMO 58) must coexist to ensure the smooth operation of the oil and gas industry in Malaysia.
The Deputy Minister in the Sarawak Premier’s Department (Law, MA63, and Federal-State Relations), Datuk Sharifah Hasidah Sayeed Aman Ghazali, said that although Sarawak has its own rights enshrined in the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) to enforce its own laws and ordinances, both acts need to be implemented together.
“What we propose is that the PDA 74 and the OMO are two laws that must coexist. They must be integrated and implemented in tandem,” she said during her speech at the Opening Ceremony of the Malaysia (Sarawak)-China Cooperation Forum Roundtable Meeting and Friendship Cities event here yesterday (Dec 19).
She added that Sarawak’s rights over all minerals and natural resources located beneath its seabed and subsoil within its maritime boundaries are absolute.
“However, anyone intending to explore and develop these resources must go through Sarawak to obtain permission, apply for permits, and so forth,” she said.
Meanwhile, Hasidah said that the Sarawak government will continue collaborating with various countries to ensure ongoing development aligns with the Post COVID-19 Development Strategy (PCDS) 2030.
“This is why Sarawak has close cooperation with China and other countries in the Asian region to attract investors to Sarawak.
“We are moving onto the global stage to bring investors into Sarawak because this is the way forward, and this is what Sarawak is currently doing.
“Therefore, we hope that in the future, we will continue to succeed and work hard to attract more investors to Sarawak, collaborating with countries like China, Japan, and Korea,” she added.
