Jaminan Abang Jo mengenai Petros ‘tak mencerminkan realiti’, dakwa Zaid

Former Sarawak Law Minister Zaid Ibrahim criticized Premier Abang Johari Openg's assurance that Petroleum Sarawak Bhd (Petros) would not replace or weaken Petronas. Zaid argued that this assurance did not align with reality, pointing to Petros' effort to take over Petronas' role as a gas aggregator in Sarawak. "Petros wants to take over Petronas' role as a gas aggregator.

This is not a small change or an additional role. It means taking over a crucial part of Petronas' business," he said on Facebook. Yesterday, Abang Johari stated that Petros' growing role in the Sarawak gas sector was not intended to replace Petronas. He said Sarawak remained committed to working with Petronas while increasing its own capabilities to process the state's resources, including plans to build a liquefied natural gas (LNG) regasification terminal in Kuching by 2029.

Zaid noted that many people wrongly think he wants to "kill" Petronas or weaken Petronas. "We share opportunities with Petronas," he tweeted. However, Zaid said evaluation of the level of cooperation cannot be based solely on assurances, but must also consider the impact of changes being made. He said Petronas could lose billions of ringgit if it no longer controls its role as a gas aggregator in Sarawak, which is estimated to be worth around RM10 billion annually.

"Petronas has already been affected by some of Sarawak's actions. In the dispute involving Shell, RM80 million monthly payments were withheld due to a misunderstanding of who should receive the payment," he said. Zaid said the issue is not just about commercial matters as Sarawak also questions whether the Petroleum Advancement Act 1974 (PDA) and other petroleum laws apply to the state.

"This means the foundations of the very law that created Petronas itself are being challenged," he said. He warned that if every oil-producing state claimed equal control over petroleum resources and a significant portion of the supply chain, it could undermine Petronas' scale and ability to meet national interests. "If every oil-producing state does the same thing, Petronas will lose the scale that has made it strong for so long.

Its national role could be weakened and ultimately undermined," he said. Zaid said any solution must begin with a clear recognition of Petronas' rights to Malaysia's oil and gas resources as specified under the PDA. "This cannot be compromised. Only after that can discussions be held about the appropriate role of Petros, taking into account the needs and circumstances of Sarawak.

However, it cannot start with Petros taking over Petronas' functions when Petronas' legal rights are still being contested," Zaid concluded.