‘Hak’ Sarawak menuntut bukan lesen lemahkan Petronas, Zaid beritahu Lau

Senator Robert Lau from Sarawak argued that Sarawak's claim over oil and gas is constitutional, but former law minister Zaid Ibrahim suggested it could have operational and commercial implications. According to Zaid, the core issue in the ongoing dispute between Petronas and Petroleum Sarawak Bhd (Petros) is whether any political solution can maintain Petronas' national role, including ensuring national energy security.

Zaid stated that merely demanding a license does not automatically grant permission to alter the structure of Malaysia's energy system and weaken the Petronas model. He emphasized that such an approach does not consider the operational and commercial implications of the new rules, rather than focusing on political gains. Zaid also pointed out that the Sarawak demand is still being debated in legal terms, as provisions in the Petroleum Development Act (PDA) allow for political solutions, but cautions against using it as a shortcut to concessions.

He warned that the comparison with the Tabung Haji controversy is not relevant, as the former involves fundamental issues such as public institutions, while the latter is a commercial dispute.