Without revealing further details, he said the policy comes in the wake of the latest development of the state declaring its rights over territorial waters.

“Let’s wait for about a week or so, I will announce a policy that (further) strengthens our rights to the resources available in the state of Sarawak,” he said.

According to him, Sarawak has the Oil Mining Ordinance 1958 which affirms the state’s right to natural resources in territorial waters as well as underground.

“That’s why I announced a marine park in Central Luconia (off the coast) near Bintulu. It is a state park belonging to Sarawak. I have gazetted it even though there is another country that has claimed it to be under its territory,” he said.

Abang Johari said the Sarawak government had also planned to enact a law to make carbon credit a trading commodity in line with the state government’s initiative to pioneer the production of energy resources based on green technology.

“Our AG (Sarawak state attorney-general) is drafting this bill for the state. Other states do not yet have this law. Sarawak will have this law (on carbon credit),” he said.