THE Sabah government has not approved any oil and gas exploration applications within the Tun Mustapha Marine Park near Kudat, said state Tourism, Culture, and Environment Minister Datuk Christina Liew.
Liew said no environmental impact assessment (EIA) has been submitted or approved for the SB403 production sharing contract, which falls within the state marine park.
“Any activities within the protected area, gazetted under the state government, must obtain approval before commencing,” she said in a statement.
The Tun Mustapha Marine Park was designated as a marine park under the Parks Enactment in 2016.
It is also part of the Coral Triangle conservation initiative involving the Philippines, Papua New Guinea, Indonesia, and Malaysia.
The production sharing contract for SB403 was awarded to Petronas Carigali, EPMV, and SMJ Energy on January 23 this year.
The block, located offshore north of Sabah, covers 10,256 square kilometres.
Sabah-based SMJ Energy has the option to take up a back-in arrangement for the block, offered by national oil company Petronas.
On September 25, environmental watchdog RimbaWatch expressed concern, claiming the SB403 block overlaps entirely with the Tun Mustapha Marine Park, posing risks to biodiversity and the livelihoods of local communities. – Oct 2, 2024
