KUCHING: The continental shelf rights within Sarawak's territorial waters are an absolute right of the state and are not subject to any transfer or negotiation with the Federal Government, Sarawak Premier, Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri (Dr) Abang Abdul Rahman Zohari Tun Datuk Abang Openg, has asserted.

He emphasised that this matter is enshrined under the 1958 Land Code, which clearly states that the seabed and subsoil of Sarawak belong to the Sarawak Government, even after the formation of Malaysia.

"The Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) and the United Kingdom Malaysia Act 1963 do not confer ownership of any land within the continental shelf in Sarawak's boundaries to the Federal Government," he said.

"Thus, the Federal Government has no ownership over Sarawak's seabed, subsoil, or continental shelf, as these rights are granted solely to the State of Sarawak under the law," he explained during his winding-up speech at the 19th Sarawak Legislative Assembly (DUN) Sitting on Wednesday.

Datuk Patinggi Abang Zohari further stated that the 2009 Continental Shelf (Amendment) Act explicitly safeguards Sarawak's rights over the seabed and subsoil within its territorial boundaries, aligning federal legislation with Sarawak’s sovereignty.

"No one has the authority to question Sarawak's inalienable rights over its continental shelf. Doing so would not only contravene MA63 but also violate both the State Constitution and the Federal Constitution," he stressed.

This legal framework allows Sarawak to assert its claims over all oil and gas resources within its territory, a right that has been recognised since the British colonial period and after independence.-UKASnews