00:00The High Court in Kuching has set April 23rd to hear an application by Petronas to state a lawsuit filed by Petroleum Sarawak-Berhardt against the National Oil & Gas Company last year.
00:13The suit seeks to restrain Petronas from utilizing funds of almost 8 million ringgit received under a bank guarantee previously given by Petros.
00:21Petronas had called on the bank guarantee to partially satisfy a debt of over 28 million ringgit owed by Petros for the supply of gas.
00:29Petros contends that Petronas' demand for payment under the bank guarantee was unconscionable or unlawful.
00:35However, Petronas wants to state a lawsuit until the Kuala Lumpur High Court disposes of a related case brought by Shell MDS Sindiran Berhardt against both Petronas and Petros.
00:45On Wednesday, the Kuching Court allowed applications by both the federal and Sarawak governments to participate in the proceedings before it as Amici Curie.
00:53Judicial Commissioner Faridz Kohim Abdullah deferred the substantive hearing of Petros' lawsuit and allowed both governments until April 30th to file written submissions to address the various constitutional and legal issues involved.
01:06Faridz also said he would hear Petronas' state application before setting a hearing date for the substantive application.
01:12The High Court had previously refused to grant Petros an interim injunction to stop Petronas from receiving funds under the bank guarantee.
01:20Petros is appealing the decision to the Court of Appeal.
