MUSCAT: Chief Minister, Datuk Patinggi (Dr) Abang Johari Tun Openg, who is currently on a fiveday working visit to Oman and UAE witnessed the signing of two MoUs to pave the way for collaborations in the oil and gas industries in Sarawak.
The first MoU was signed between PetroTel Oman LLC (PTO) with exploration and production rights in Oman and South Sea Energy (SSE) that is affiliated to Sarawak.
The second MoU was signed between Petroleum Sarawak Berhad (Petros), SSE and PetroTel. Chairman of Petros, Tan Sri Datuk Amar (Dr) Hamid Bugo and Board Member, Datu Ir. Zuraimi Sabki signed for Petros, President of SSE, Lily Chin and Executive Director, Tiong Kiong King for SSE, and Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of PTO, Dr Anil Chopra and Chief Operating Officer (COO), Michael Lucich for PTO. The CM and his entourage arrived at the capital of Oman on Tuesday as part of the efforts to explore the possibilities of co-operation to develop the downstream sector of oil and gas industries in Sarawak.
Earlier, Johari led his team to pay a courtesy visit to Oman’s Minister of Oil and Gas, Dr Mohammed Hamad Al Rumhi at his office here. In his opening address, Dr Mohammed warmly welcomed the delegation and prospects of collaboration with Sarawak.
Meanwhile, Johari, in response to the Omani minister during the courtesy call expressed his confidence that Oman and Sarawak could work together for mutual benefits given a bright future for petrochemical and products leveraging on the trend of switching from internal combustion engine to electric-driven cars in line with the Industry 4.0 and Digital Economy initiatives.
He added that Oman and Sarawak had some similarities demographically and as the oil producing states, that would augur well for enhancing bi-lateral ties between the two economies. On Tuesday evening, the CM was given a briefing on the overview of the prospects and possibilities of co-operation in the O&G sector between the parties in Sarawak by SSE at a leading hotel here.
Members of the Chief Minister’s delegation were Deputy Chief Minister, Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan, State Secretary, Tan Sri Datuk Amar Mohammad Morshidi Abdul Ghani and Petros
Chairman, Tan Sri Datuk Amar (Dr) Hamid Bugo.
Other members included Deputy State Secretary, Datu Abu Bakar Marzuki, CEO of Sarawak Energy Berhad (SEB), Sharbini Suhaili, who is also a board member of Petros, and General Manager of Bintulu Development Authority (BDA), Rodziah Morshidi.
Also present during the visit was the Malaysian Ambassador to Oman, Shahril Effendi Abd Ghany. The delegation would be proceeding to Dubai on the second leg of the visit before flying back to Kuching at the end of the week.
