2 hours ago
1
ADVERTISE HERE
Dr Richard Rapu. Photo credit: UkasAdvertisement
By Amanda L
KUCHING, Feb 3: Betong MP Dato Dr Richard Rapu has called on the federal government to clarify who authorised Petroliam Nasional Berhad’s (PETRONAS) legal action against the Sarawak government, describing the move as a serious challenge to Sarawak’s sovereignty and the federalism framework under the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63).
Dr Richard highlighted that PETRONAS, along with five of its subsidiaries, had filed lawsuits against the State despite ongoing negotiations between Sarawak and the federal government.
Advertisement
“PETROS (Petroleum Sarawak Berhad) has already been formally recognised as Sarawak’s gas aggregator, and a joint participation agreement was signed last year. Yet, court action was suddenly initiated without any public explanation.
“Negotiations were ongoing, agreements were in place, and yet the federal government allowed legal action to proceed. This raises serious questions about political oversight,” he said during a Dewan Rakyat session.
Dr Richard emphasised the magnitude of the issue, noting that PETRONAS is wholly owned by the federal government, with assets exceeding RM700 billion, and reports directly to the Prime Minister and Cabinet.
“Is it credible that a company of this size and strategic importance could take unilateral action without explicit government approval?” he asked.
Warning of the potential fallout, Dr Richard said there are two politically explosive scenarios: if PETRONAS acted independently, it would indicate a loss of control over one of the nation’s most strategic assets; if the federal government authorised the action, it must take full responsibility for the ensuing conflict.
“If federal agencies are allowed to challenge Sarawak’s constitutional rights in court, there is no guarantee that other states’ claims will be respected. This could fundamentally destabilise the federation,” he cautioned.
He also criticised the federal government for what he described as contradictory actions, noting that publicly supporting MA63 negotiations while simultaneously undermining them in court, if left unchecked, threatens the constitutional standing of all Malaysian states.
Dr Richard concluded by demanding that the Prime Minister and Cabinet provide a clear explanation on who authorised the lawsuits and outline immediate steps to resolve the dispute. — DayakDaily
English (US) ·