Petronas, kerajaan Sarawak mahu petisyen O&G didengar asing

Perdana Menteri Sarawak is seeking the Federal Court to hear its initial challenge regarding the colonial-era decree that defined Sarawak and Sabah's borders, according to Petronas and the Sarawak government. Both parties requested their respective cases to be heard separately by the Federal Court. This matter was made known to Federal Court Judge Rhodzariah Bujang during a lawsuit hearing.

Petronas' attorney, Cyrus Das, informed the court that the Sarawak government has decided to keep the two cases separate. Das added that while Petronas wants its case heard first, it followed the chronological order of filing. Petronas filed its case on January 10 and received legal victory under Section 4(4) of the Constitution on April 16, while the Sarawak government filed its case on February 23.

Das explained that Petronas' challenge involves Sarawak's state laws, while the Sarawak government's case deals with federal laws. Moreover, there is a strong reason from Sarawak for why they should be heard first, as he believes we should follow the order of filing. Meanwhile, the Sarawak government also wants the Federal Court to decide first on the colonial-era decree regarding Sarawak and Sabah's borders, which relates to border delineation.

Rhodzariah then set October 1 as the deadline for managing the case to determine the order of hearing for the Sarawak government's challenge and related issues. Petronas' hearing is scheduled later in January of next year. On April 16, the Federal Court upheld Petronas' application to initiate proceedings to challenge the Sarawak government's power to amend certain laws, and sought an order declaring those amended laws as invalid.

Petronas claims that the Sarawak state government does not have the power to amend, alter, modify, or review certain laws under Schedule 1, Schedule of Federal, and Table 9 of the Constitution. On the other hand, the state government filed a case against the Malaysian government and Petronas, seeking the Federal Court to determine the validity of certain federal laws in Sarawak.

These laws include the Petroleum Advancement Act 1974, Land Development Act 1966, and Petroleum Development Act 1966. During today's hearing, in addition to Das, Petronas was represented by Khoo Guan Huat, Azian Abd Aziz, Grace Teoh Wei Shan, Ahmad Faiz Razali, Khoo Yuan Ping, and Alex Ngu, while the Sarawak government was represented by Attorney-General Mohd Adzrul Adzlan, Sarawak Attorney Richard Tie Sing Wan, and Felicity Sharmela Thomas.

Federal Court Attorney Ahmad Hanir Hambaly@Arwi and Federal Court Imtiyaz Wizni Aufa represented the federal government. Attorney Adzrul informed reporters that the state government wants the colonial-era decree issue to be heard first because the state government believes it is outside the Federal Court's jurisdiction.