KUALA LUMPUR, March 15 -- A former senior Treasury official has warned against questioning Petronas' control over oil and gas resources in Sarawak, as negotiations between the national oil company and Petroleum Sarawak Berhad (Petros) remain at an impasse.

Nik Azmi Nik Daud said to Free Malaysia Today (FMT) that both Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and Sarawak Premier Tan Sri Abang Johari Openg have reaffirmed the Petroleum Development Act 1974 (PDA) as the definitive legal framework governing the industry.

Speaking in the Dewan Rakyat on February 17, Anwar assured that Petronas' existing international and domestic contracts would remain intact, even as Petros assumes the role of gas aggregator.

However, a source within the Sar...