BY NATASHA JEE & NURA V LORNA
KUCHING: Sarawak will continue to safeguard its right over its oil and gas resources, grounded in the constitutional safeguards provided under the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63).
The state’s legal counsel Datuk Seri JC Fong stressed that it was agreed at the formation of Malaysia that legislative authority over electricity and distribution of gas shall be vested in the Sarawak Legislative Assembly (DUN).
“Pursuant to this constitutional legislative power, the DUN passed the Distribution of Gas Ordinance (DGO) in 2016 and amended in 2023 to allow the State Cabinet to appoint a gas aggregator.
“Petroleum Sarawak Bhd (PETROS) was then appointed the sole gas aggregator in Sarawak, and no other entity,” he said in a statement on Tuesday.
Fong’s statement was in response to an article published online, entitled “The Chinese Fuzhou hidden hands behind Sarawak’s gas aggregator ambition EXPOSED”.
The former Sarawak attorney-general pointed out that as the gas aggregator, PETROS would procure gas from producers, allocate and distribute supply to consumers and industries, as well as expand and develop the gas distribution network in the state.
“The Joint Declaration signed between the Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg on May 21, 2025, states that federal and state laws with regard to the distribution of gas shall coexist and be respected by all industry players in Sarawak, including PETROS and Petroliam Nasional Berhad (PETRONAS).
“PETRONAS must therefore recognise and respect PETROS as the sole gas aggregator, because PETRONAS has not been appointed as gas aggregator under either the Petroleum Development Act (PDA) or the DGO,” he stressed.
He added that by regaining control over the distribution of gas in Sarawak, the state government wants to ensure that the gas produced in the state will benefit its people regardless of their racial origin or background.
“The current narratives in the social media which attempts to put the state government, its leaders and officials in bad light is not conducive to sustaining the goodwill of the people of Sarawak.
“If this false narrative should continue, if the goodwill of the people of Sarawak should be lost, there could be adverse consequences on PETRONAS and national unity.
“All Sarawakian wants is a due respect from PETRONAS for its loss, sustainable use of its gas resources and adequate gas allocation to support Sarawak’s Gas Roadmap (SGR),” said Fong.
