SIBU: Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP) Dudong Branch chairman, Wong Ching Yong, voices unequivocal support for the Sarawak Government’s decisive legal petition in the Federal Court to scrutinise the constitutional validity of the Petroleum Development Act 1974 (PDA74), the Continental Shelf Act 1966, and the Petroleum Mining Act 1966.
He emphasised that this strategic move is a “restoration of status” rather than a mere dispute over resources.
“It signifies Sarawak’s shift from passive solicitation to an active reconstruction of its rightful position as an equal partner under the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63).
“This is about ensuring that the dignity of Sarawakians is no longer a footnote in federal-state relations.
“We stand firmly behind the Premier, Tan Sri Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg, and the Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) government, in this historic quest to reclaim our birthright,” Wong said in a statement today (Mar 1).
Wong, who is also SUPP Assistant and Publicity Secretary, asserted that for decades, PDA74 has been treated as an “imperial sword” by the federal government to exert total control over the nation’s petroleum resources.
However, he pointed out that the legal bedrock of this control is now under the microscope.
“We must return to the territorial ‘Point Zero’. Before the formation of Malaysia, the Sarawak (Alteration of Boundaries) Order in Council 1954 and the Sarawak (Definition of Boundaries) Order in Council 1958 had already defined Sarawak’s boundaries to include the continental shelf and its seabed resources. These rights were vested in Sarawak on Malaysia Day,” he explained.
Further highlighting a critical constitutional leverage: under Article 150(7) of the Federal Constitution, Wong pointed out that the extension of PDA74 and the Continental Shelf Act to Sarawak relied heavily on the emergency powers invoked during the 1969 Emergency.
“With the formal revocation of the 1969 Emergency in 2011, all laws extended under that proclamation should have lapsed within six months. This implies that for the past 14 years, federal control over Sarawak’s resources has existed in a ‘legal lacuna’ that must be addressed by the apex court,” he stressed.
He concurred with political analyst Dr James Chin that the Mahathir era saw an extreme centralisation of power, which relegated Sarawak to a “dependent administrative appendage”.
This distortion, he added has led to severe developmental imbalances, leaving a resource-rich Sarawak lagging in infrastructure, education and healthcare compared to Peninsular Malaysia.
“Sarawak’s vast geography demands higher development costs. We can no longer tolerate a structural imbalance where our resources are extracted while our basic amenities remain underfunded,” he said.
He also warned that this legal battle is not just about current oil reserves, but about protecting the “post-oil” economic blueprint.
Wong criticised Petroliam Nasional Bhd’s (PETRONAS) recent legal maneuvres in January 2026, which he described as an attempt to stifle Sarawak’s innovations in Carbon Capture, Utilisation and Storage (CCUS) and the hydrogen economy.
“We cannot allow a 1974 relic to become a shackle on Sarawak’s transition into a high-tech green economy. The legal challenge by PETRONAS exposes a predatory mindset that seeks to undermine our Oil Mining Ordinance (OMO) and environmental legislative powers,” he opined.
He stressed that resolving resource disputes through judicial means is a hallmark of mature federations, such as Canada and Australia.
“Clarifying power boundaries via the courts is an act of constitutional maturity, not political confrontation. The real threat to federalism is not asking legal questions, but refusing to face the legal answers,” he added.
In a final note to his fellow Sarawakians, Wong noted that this petition represents the collective will of the people.
He alluded to the growing sentiment in East Malaysia, noting that the people of Sabah expressed a similar frustration during their recent state election by sending a strong signal to Pakatan Harapan, which leads the federal government.
“Sarawakians have reached a consensus: our resources must primarily benefit our own people. This legal step is a safeguard for the development space of the next generation.
“The voice of Sarawak has been heard; the gavel of history is about to fall,” added Wong, who is also Sibu Rural District Council Deputy Chairman.
