KUALA LUMPUR: Petroliam Nasional Bhd (Petronas) says its joint venture company in Sudan is pursuing legal recourse over the arrest of its former officers in the African country.
PetroDar Operating Company was in the process of cancelling the warrant of arrest relating to trade union claims made against it, Petronas said in a statement today.
"This matter is unrelated to the ongoing legal proceedings to reclaim Petronas' rights over the land and the Petronas Complex in Khartoum, for which Petronas has filed a request for arbitration at the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes.
"As the legal processes have commenced, Petronas is unable to provide further information on both matters," the national oil company added.
Previously, Sudan's transitional government reportedly issued an arrest warrant against the country manager of Petronas following growing tension between Malaysia and Sudan after the latter's move to seize the group's assets there.
A news article reported that the actions against Petronas and other foreign investors on allegations of corruption could negatively affect future bilateral relations between Sudan and other countries.
It was reported that the Sudan transitional government was seeking to confiscate assets belonging to Petronas, alleging they were acquired through illegal means during the rule of ousted leader Omar al-Bashir.
Petronas has been present in Sudan for more than 20 years and assisted the country in becoming an oil-exporting nation.
The United States sanctions on Sudan as a terrorism-sponsoring country had posed significant challenges to foreign companies including Petronas.
