Batu Kitang State Assemblyman, Dato IR Lo Khere Chiang said Sarawak’s Oil and Gas Rights Must Be Respected

suppadmin | March 19, 2025

Batu Kitang State Assemblyman Dato IR Lo Khere Chiang has strongly criticized Nik Azmi Nik Daud’s claim that Sarawak should stop questioning the Petroleum Development Act 1974 (PDA74) and accept Petronas’s full control over its oil and gas resources.

Lo called Nik Azmi’s assertion “misleading, dismissive, and an insult to Sarawak’s rightful claim over its own resources.” He argued that Sarawak’s legal rights over oil and gas take precedence over the PDA74, as the Oil Mining Ordinance 1958 (OMO58) remains in force under the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63).

He highlighted that Sarawak’s efforts to reclaim its rights gained momentum with constitutional amendments that took effect on February 11, 2022. These amendments, championed by Sarawak Governor Tun Pehin Sri Dr. Haji Wan Junaidi bin Tuanku Jaafar during his tenure as Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, reinforced Sarawak’s position within Malaysia.

Lo specified that Sarawak is not “bickering” but simply reclaiming what rightfully belongs to the state. He pointed out that PDA74 was never debated or approved by the Sarawak State Assembly (DUN), a critical constitutional requirement for any law affecting Sarawak’s rights.

“Sarawak’s leaders have worked hard to correct historical injustices, including establishing Petros to manage our oil and gas industry. We will not back down from defending what is rightfully ours,” Lo stated.