KUALA LUMPUR (Sept 5): Petroliam Nasional Bhd (Petronas) reaffirmed Thursday that it operates lawfully in waters off Sarawak.

Petronas president and group chief executive officer Tan Sri Tengku Muhammad Taufik Tengku Aziz echoed Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s statement on Petronas’ right to conduct exploration within Malaysia’s sovereign waters.

Tengku Muhammad Taufik emphasised that throughout the quarter, the national oil firm has adhered to the government’s guidance and the oversight of the National Security Council.

“We have carried out our duties safely and in accordance with the definitions of territory as outlined in the 1979 map,” he said.

Petronas executive vice president and chief executive officer for upstream, Mohd Jukris Abdul Wahab affirmed that the company remains focused on its upstream activities in the region.

“Our projection for the next five years is to concentrate on the development of discoveries made over the past two years,” he said.

According to recent reports, China has demanded that Malaysia immediately cease all activities in an oil-rich area off Sarawak.

This demand was made in a leaked protest note sent to the Malaysian embassy in China last week.

Speaking from Russia during an official visit on Thursday, the Malaysian prime minister clarified that the country’s exploration activities are within its territory and are not intended to provoke or antagonise China, with which Malaysia maintains friendly relations.

He stated that Malaysia would continue its oil and gas exploration in the South China Sea despite China’s claims.

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