Sarawak Chief Minister’s Office said Dr Mahathir invited both Sarawak and Sabah to explore the idea of owning stakes in Petronas, taking into consideration that the national oil company is a global oil company. — Reuters pic

KUCHING, Dec 18 ― Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad wants Sarawak and Sabah to consider Petronas’ position as a global oil company when studying the proposal to own stakes in the company.

Sarawak Chief Minister’s Office in a statement today said Dr Mahathir made this point during his meeting with the state’s Chief Minister, Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg and Sabah Chief Minister, Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal in Putrajaya on Monday.

“During the 90-minute meeting, the prime minister invited both Sarawak and Sabah to explore the idea of owning stakes in Petronas, taking into consideration that the national oil company is a global oil company, with concessions overseas, particularly in Central Asia, Africa and North America,” it said.

During the meeting, Abang Johari told Dr Mahathir that Sarawak had to study the proposal in depth, saying that he wanted to strengthen the participation of state-owned oil and gas company, Petros, in the industry’s downstream and upstream activities in Sarawak. ― Bernama