KUALA LUMPUR, May 3 — PAS vice-president Datuk Mahfuz Omar today described the federal government's move of surrendering an oil rich area to Brunei as unconstitutional.
The Pokok Sena MP asked the government if it had obtained the approval from the Sarawak legislative assembly prior to signing the border agreement with Brunei.
He cited Article 2 of the Federal Constitution which requires the state approval before altering state borders.
"This is the question of altering our borders like how the Selangor border was altered when Putrajaya was made Federal Territory," Mahfuz (picture) told reporters in Parliament today.
"In signing the agreement with Brunei, did the federal government obtain approval from the state of Sarawak," he added.
The agreement signed by former Prime Minister Tun Abdullah Badawi in March 2009 to seek solution to border dispute with Brunei resulted in an oil rich area known as Block L and Block M to be recognised as part of the kingdom's territory.
The agreement or exchange of letters however also turned the two blocks into a joined development area to be exploited by the two countries.
Wisma Putra in a statement earlier today confirmed the development arrangement adding that the governments of Sabah and Sarawak were consulted and briefed on the agreement.
"This is in violation of the constitution and it does not only involve altering state borders but also surrendering a territory to a foreign power," said Mahfuz.
"The deputy prime minister then, who is the prime minister must take responsibility. The Cabinet must answer not the Kepala Batas MP," he said.
"They have informed Sabah and Sarawak, but when? Legal procedures must be followed," said Mahfuz when pointed out that the two Borneo states were aware of the arrangement with Brunei.
Late last week both former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad and the DAP's Lim Kit Siang demanded an explanation from Abdullah after news reports emerged suggesting Malaysia had signed away its oil rights.
Murphy Oil, which had entered a production-sharing contract with national oil company, Petronas, for Block L and Block M offshore of Limbang, announced last month that it was ceasing operations because "it was no longer part of Malaysia."
Abdullah denied last Friday that he had surrendered the oil reach areas with potential oil earning worth RM320 billion to Brunei saying that it would be jointly developed by the two countries for a period of 40 years.
Dr Mahathir had accused Abdullah of surrendering the two blocks, just three weeks before his departure in exchange for Brunei dropping its claim over Limbang in Sarawak.
The fifth prime minister explained that the agreement with Brunei aimed at solving long standing border dispute, was signed with prior approval from the Cabinet.
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