MALAYSIA'S GENEROSITY
1. The Edge Financial Daily, an article by Joseph Chin (The Edge, April 22nd) as well as Brunei Times reported a substantial oil producing offshore area in the South China Sea, namely Block L and Block M, were no longer a part of Malaysia.
2. Malaysians and the Malaysian media did not ask how this came about. It would seem that the loss of a huge oil producing area that had apparently belonged to Malaysia is okay.
3. Block L and Block M had been claimed by Malaysia based on historical facts. Accordingly, Petronas entered into a production sharing contract with Murphy Oil to start drilling to produce oil. It is estimated that the reserves amounted to almost 1 billion barrels.
2. Malaysians and the Malaysian media did not ask how this came about. It would seem that the loss of a huge oil producing area that had apparently belonged to Malaysia is okay.
3. Block L and Block M had been claimed by Malaysia based on historical facts. Accordingly, Petronas entered into a production sharing contract with Murphy Oil to start drilling to produce oil. It is estimated that the reserves amounted to almost 1 billion barrels.
4. Abdullah Badawi negotiated with the Sultan to get back Limbang in Sarawak. In return he agreed to surrender the two blocks to Brunei. No Petronas representatives were present, only foreign office staff and the foreign affairs adviser to the PM.
5. As we all know Abdullah triumphantly announced that he had settled the Limbang claim with Brunei (here). No mention was made of the two blocks.
6. Brunei disclaimed (here) that they had agreed to give up Limbang. The foreign office and Abdullah did not rebut Brunei's statement.
7. Now it is made clear that the two blocks are no longer a part of Malaysia.
8. Abdullah has caused Malaysia to lose at least US100 billion dollars (about RM320 billion) of Malaysia's oil in this agreement.
9. Can Wisma Putra please explain why it did not stop Abdullah.
5. As we all know Abdullah triumphantly announced that he had settled the Limbang claim with Brunei (here). No mention was made of the two blocks.
6. Brunei disclaimed (here) that they had agreed to give up Limbang. The foreign office and Abdullah did not rebut Brunei's statement.
7. Now it is made clear that the two blocks are no longer a part of Malaysia.
8. Abdullah has caused Malaysia to lose at least US100 billion dollars (about RM320 billion) of Malaysia's oil in this agreement.
9. Can Wisma Putra please explain why it did not stop Abdullah.
source : chedet
Limbang issue was never discussed: Pehin Dato Lim
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
THE Second Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Pehin Orang Kaya Pekerma Dewa Dato Seri Setia Lim Jock Seng yesterday clarified that the issue of territorial claims over Limbang was never discussed in the agreements signed on Monday, which resolved the "outstanding bilateral issues" between Brunei Darussalam and Malaysia.
"From a press report, (it was stated that) Brunei has accepted Malaysia's reported claim on Limbang or that it (Brunei) has dropped its claim (on Limbang). In actual fact, the issue of claims over Limbang was never discussed," Pehin Dato Lim said. "What was discussed is regarding the demarcation of land boundaries."
The second minister of foreign affairs and trade had been referring to statements reported by news publications which quoted Malaysian Prime Minister Dato' Seri Abdullah Hj Ahmad Badawi speaking to Malaysian reporters at a press conference, saying that Brunei had dropped all territorial claims over Limbang as a result of the signing of the Letters of Exchange (LoE).
"Brunei has decided to drop the Limbang issue and as a result, Limbang is part of Malaysian territory, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi announced to Malaysian media," according to a report by Malaysian newspaper The Star yesterday.
However, Pehin Dato Lim neither confirmed nor denied the Malaysian premier's statement.
Pehin Dato Lim made the announcement during the afternoon session of yesterday's State Legislative Council meeting, where he reiterated the joint statement issued by the leaders of both nations regarding the signing of the LoE and its contents.
According to the statement, the documents included the "final delimitation of maritime boundaries" between Brunei Darussalam and Malaysia, the establishment of the Commercial Arrangement Area in oil and gas, the modalities for the final demarcation of the land boundaries between the two countries and the "unsuspendable rights of maritime access" for nationals and residents of Malaysia crossing Brunei maritime zones to and from Sarawak, provided that Brunei's laws and regulations are observed.
Quoting the joint statement, Pehin Dato Lim said that the demarcation of land boundaries would be resolved on the basis of five existing historical agreements between the governments of Brunei and Sarawak, and where appropriate, the watershed principle.
Also during the State Legislative Council Meeting, Dato Paduka Hj Puasa Orang Kaya Seri Pahlawan Tudin raised issues pertaining to problems, such as long traffic queues, encountered by travellers passing through checkpoints at Kuala Lurah and Puni. He asked whether there would be any improvement to infrastructure at these control posts to address these problems.
In response to this, Pehin Dato Lim said that plans were in place to resolve the situation but could not be carried out until the border issue was resolved. A joint technical committee has been assigned to finalise the formalities of the boundary demarcation.
The Brunei Times
"From a press report, (it was stated that) Brunei has accepted Malaysia's reported claim on Limbang or that it (Brunei) has dropped its claim (on Limbang). In actual fact, the issue of claims over Limbang was never discussed," Pehin Dato Lim said. "What was discussed is regarding the demarcation of land boundaries."
The second minister of foreign affairs and trade had been referring to statements reported by news publications which quoted Malaysian Prime Minister Dato' Seri Abdullah Hj Ahmad Badawi speaking to Malaysian reporters at a press conference, saying that Brunei had dropped all territorial claims over Limbang as a result of the signing of the Letters of Exchange (LoE).
"Brunei has decided to drop the Limbang issue and as a result, Limbang is part of Malaysian territory, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi announced to Malaysian media," according to a report by Malaysian newspaper The Star yesterday.
However, Pehin Dato Lim neither confirmed nor denied the Malaysian premier's statement.
Pehin Dato Lim made the announcement during the afternoon session of yesterday's State Legislative Council meeting, where he reiterated the joint statement issued by the leaders of both nations regarding the signing of the LoE and its contents.
According to the statement, the documents included the "final delimitation of maritime boundaries" between Brunei Darussalam and Malaysia, the establishment of the Commercial Arrangement Area in oil and gas, the modalities for the final demarcation of the land boundaries between the two countries and the "unsuspendable rights of maritime access" for nationals and residents of Malaysia crossing Brunei maritime zones to and from Sarawak, provided that Brunei's laws and regulations are observed.
Quoting the joint statement, Pehin Dato Lim said that the demarcation of land boundaries would be resolved on the basis of five existing historical agreements between the governments of Brunei and Sarawak, and where appropriate, the watershed principle.
Also during the State Legislative Council Meeting, Dato Paduka Hj Puasa Orang Kaya Seri Pahlawan Tudin raised issues pertaining to problems, such as long traffic queues, encountered by travellers passing through checkpoints at Kuala Lurah and Puni. He asked whether there would be any improvement to infrastructure at these control posts to address these problems.
In response to this, Pehin Dato Lim said that plans were in place to resolve the situation but could not be carried out until the border issue was resolved. A joint technical committee has been assigned to finalise the formalities of the boundary demarcation.
The Brunei Times
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