BETONG, June 5 — Sarawak Premier Tan Sri Abang Johari Openg today dismissed claims that the state government has taken all the rights of Petroliam Nasional Berhad (Petronas) over oil and gas resources within Sarawak’s territorial boundaries under the Petroleum Development (PDA) 1974.

He explained that the state government has the power over oil and gas resources under the Oil Mining Ordinance 1958 which was passed before the formation of Malaysia 1963, never been repealed and is still in force.

"So, we have the power over oil and gas, and we gave it to Petros (state-owned Petroleum Sarawak Berhad),” he said at the Betong Division Gawai Dayak celebration here.

He said the state government has also passed the Distribution of Gas Ordinance 2016 and appointed Petros the gas aggregator.

"So, I have never taken the rights of Petronas over gas resources and gas distribution,” he added, saying that the state government has taken all rights of Petronas and given them to Petros.

"There are people who wrote that Petronas will soon be badly affected by Petros,” he said, without elaborating.

"No, no such thing. I know that it is a sin to take over the rights of others. But it is also a sin of others to take our rights,” he remarked.

The premier said that he is aware that there are people from peninsular Malaysia who are jealous of Sarawak’s success in increasing its revenue collection.

He said he was informed by his deputy Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah who attended a national financial council meeting, chaired by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, that Sarawak’s revenue collection was the highest among all the states for last year.

He said Selangor, which is a highly developed state, has a revenue collection of about RM4 billion while Sabah collected about RM6 billion.

"But Sarawak has over RM13 billion,” he said.

He said even a menteri besar from one of the states had asked for funds from Sarawak.

He advised Sarawakians to be wary of jealous people who are out to disturb the state, saying that there are already signs of their intentions.

"We, in the Gabungan Parti Sarawak, must know which is diamond and which is glass,” he said.

Abang Johari, who is also the state finance and new economy minister, reminded that Sarawak’s success is due to hard work by the people and the government, not by luck.

"If we don’t work hard and are lazy, we cannot go anywhere,” he said.