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M’sia-Brunei deal: Make Cabinet minutes public

Accountability, Asean, Energy resources 43 Responses »

May 022010

Abdullah Badawi says he obtained Cabinet approval before going ahead with the deal with Brunei. So the government should now make public the minutes of the Cabinet discussion and decision.

Abdullah also needs to explain why this matter was not brought to Parliament for a thorough debate as this involves a question of sovereignty and energy supply.

Najib too has to clarify and explain the rationale for the deal. After all, he was Number Two to Abdullah back then and on the threshold of becoming premier. Was he among those in the Cabinet who approved the deal? If, as he says, both countries are still negotiating, why have the two blocks already been given up?

Abdullah’s denial raises more questions

Accountability, Asean, Ethnic and inter-religious relations 50 Responses »

Apr 302010

Former premier Abdullah Badawi has denied giving up the oil rights in Blocks L and M – but his response raises more questions.

In remarks published by the Malaysian Insider, he said Blocks L and Block M would be jointly developed by Malaysia and Brunei over 40 years. He added:

The financial and operational modalities for giving effect to this arrangement will be further discussed by the two sides. This means that in so far as the oil and gas resources are concerned, the agreement is not a loss for Malaysia…

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Limbang, Blocks L and M: Tell us the real deal

Accountability, Asean, Energy resources 31 Responses »

Apr 302010

More questions have been raised on the reported surrender of Blocks L and M to Brunei during the Abdullah Badawi administration.

Source: rigzone.com

Blocks L and M, not far from the Sabah coast, are reportedly referred to in Brunei as Blocks J and K or there is some kind of overlap in the Exclusive Economic Zone. This Block J alone is projected to produce more than 150,000 to 200,000 barrels per day, which could double Brunei’s oil production.

Essentially, Brunei appears to have awarded the two blocks to Total and Shell prospectors while Malaysia awarded the same or overlapping blocks to Petronas Carigali and Murphy Oil. Murphy held a 60 per cent stake in Block L and a 70 per cent stake in Block M.

The two blocks, about 1.5 million acres each with water depths of 2,700-9,300 feet, lie next to the oil-rich 4 million acre-Block K, which was awarded in 1999 to Murphy (80 per cent) and Petronas Carigali. Murphy had reported that drilling in the Kikeh oil field in the southern part of Block K had yielded a “very significant oil discovery”. One report said it could reach 125,000 barrels per day.

Source: thestar.com.my