Effective Role Played by Petronas Oil Company in Malaysia's Economic Development

Malaysia's PETRONAS Company, Asia's most profitable oil company, has been able to confirm and promote its position among the world's giant oil companies and in addition to collaborating with a number of global oil companies in other countries' oil projects, it has also been involved in the development of Malaysia's marine oil reserves. PETRONAS has been able to absorb foreign capital and to increase Malaysia's economic growth rate.
In 2008, PETRONAS was introduced as the world's 95th largest, eighth most profitable and Asia's most profitable company by Global Fortune magazine. The construction of PETRONAS' Twin Towers, which were inaugurated in 1998 and were considered the world's tallest buildings in the world at the time, was carried out by PETRONAS and at the moment, the central offices of this company are located in this building.
Since PETRONAS was established, the company has become a uniformly international company in the field of gas and oil, which has economic resources in 31 countries. By the end of March 2005, the PETRONAS group took complete possession of 103 companies, part possession of 19 companies and half possession of 57 affiliated companies. These affiliated companies constitute the PETRONAS Group, which engages in a variety of oil and gas activities.
PETRONAS Group activities cover a wide spectrum of oil activities including exploration in upstream sectors, the production of gasoil in downstream refineries, marketing and distribution of oil products, trade, processing, and gas liquefaction, operations for the installation of pipelines for the transfer of gas, marketing for natural liquid gas, production of petrochemical products and their marketing, marine transport, car engineering and investment in property.
History
PETRONAS is the not the first company that has engaged in the exploration of oil and gas in Malaysia. Previously, at the end of the 19th century, the Royal Dutch Shell Company was engaged in oil exploration in the colony of Sarawak and in 1910, the first oil well was drilled in Sarawak. The Shell Company continued with its activities until 1963 as the only oil company in the region until Malaysia gained independence. Officials of the newly independent Malaysia continued their connection with the Royal Dutch Shell Company until Malaysia's first marine oil field became operational in 1968. The central government also gave permits for exploration in Terengganu, the most populous province and the power hub of the central government. In 1974, ESSO succeeded in discovering natural gas in the province of Terengganu and in the same year, the production of crude oil in Malaysia reached around 81,000 barrels (12,900 cubic meters) per day.
According to a plan approved in 1971, the objectives behind the establishment of PETRONAS include the following: protecting national rule over oil and gas resources, planning for supplying the country's present and future gas and oil needs, participation in the distribution of petrochemical products and marketing for these products at acceptable prices, encouraging Malaysian companies for supplying machineries and services, the production of azote fertilizers and generating profit from oil industries across the country.
Level of Export
In 1976, Malaysia turned into an exporter of oil but its level of export was not such that it could join the group of OPEC countries. This led to some interests for Malaysia and PETRONAS in particular because on the one hand it resulted in relative economic and political flexibility for PETRONAS and on the other hand, it strengthened the company's main objective which was for Malaysia to obtain self-reliance.
Until 1997, PETRONAS was managing the oil activities of its partners and until government tried to establish a company called PETRONAS CARIGALI, affiliated to PETRONAS in the field of oil exploration and production, it played no direct role in production. PETRONAS continued its supervision over all economic oil and gas activities, particularly in issues relat ed to health, safety and protection of the environment.
In 1990, oil and gas constituted 24% of Malaysia's overall exports; therefore, government became determined to impose a 25% tax on oil and gas exports. Government's new policy in addition to the implementation of 25% tax meant a decrease in the production and export of Malaysia's crude oil in 1981 for the first time since PETRONAS was established; although in later years, the level of exports and imports improved compared with 1980. In 1982, PETRONAS turned to refining and distributing oil. The objective behind this move was to reduce dependency on the Royal Dutch Shell refinery in Port Dickson and the Esso refinery in Sarawak and Malaysia itself established refineries in Malacca and Kerte.
International Reserves
In 1996, PETRONAS entered the aromatic market through joint investment. In 1997, this company increased the variety of its activities and established three petrochemical companies in Kuantan and an acetic factory in Kerte. In the same year, PETRONAS' first joint investment with China in the field of Liquefied Natural Gas called TIGA, took away Algeria's rank as the second biggest producer of this product.
The PETRONAS Group continues to emphasize the importance of carrying out international oil exploration projects because in 2008, 40% of this company's revenues were obtained through international projects in countries such as Iran, Sudan, Chad and Mauritania.
PETRONAS' international reserves reached the figure of 6.24 billion barrels of oil in 2008 and it has more than 100 affiliated companies and approximately 40 joint investment companies, a minimum of 50% of whose shares are under the control of PETRONAS.

Islamic Bloc: Need of Hour

The electronic and print media of the United States and the United Kingdom, which are presently leading the civilized and developed countries of the world, are forcefully in the forefront to raise voice for the protection of human rights. These countries consider themselves as the custodian of human rights and the human rights organizations making progress under their patronage are telling tales of repression and tyranny taking place in the world to proclaim their sympathy and love for humanity. They have even set up organizations to prevent the factors affecting the natural environment for wildlife and maritime life.
Muslims' Rights at Stake
The animal rights organizations come into action without any delay even if their dogs are maltreated. However, some one should ask those, who raise voice for animal rights that why they fail to see the rights of the Muslims for the sake of their own interests? Under the leadership of the United States, the world of paganism, intoxicated by power and might, declares any country any time, particularly some Muslim country, as terrorist and attacks it. Iraq and Afghanistan were ruined by this civilized country under a premeditated conspiracy.
Why this country, which teaches lesson to audacious countries, fails to see the flagrant terrorism by its protectorate country, which has been perpetrating repression on the innocent Palestinians since long. Why the US Administration has blindfolded itself?
Problem for Innocent People
If attacking the life and property of innocent people is considered as terrorism in the United States, then the murder and pillage in Afghanistan should be considered worse than terrorism. The fault of the innocent and guiltless Afghans is only that they are Muslims. The bloodletting of innocent people is a slap on the face of the international campaign against terrorism. The truth is that the stains of this blood will never be cleansed from the face of the global alliance. The irony of justice is that the country, which offered the largest sacrifices against terrorism, got nothing in return. The blood of innocent elderly people, children, and women is spilled every other day in UAV attacks on many Muslim countries. At time, Pakistan’s national honor and self-respect is hurt by staging the farce of the presence of Usama Bin Ladin's hideout in Pakistan. However, present Pakistani leadership remains unmoved and it is looking toward others even in this difficult situation.
Imperialism and Colonialism Forces
The forces of imperialism and colonialism have surrounded the Muslims today. They are eying Pakistan, Iran, and other Muslim countries after spilling blood in Iraq and Afghanistan. The crusade goes on. There is a dire need for a strong Islamic bloc under these circumstances. Turkey, Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Iran can forge this bloc together.
The Arab and Asian states can be included in it later. Turkey and Iran are already willing but Pakistan and Afghanistan are under the influence of the United States. The leaders of these two countries will have to realize the subtlety of the situation as the crusade can only be countered by forging an Islamic bloc.

Anticipated Israeli Attack on Iran

Among the Muslim countries in the world, only Iran has the acclamation to be ready to incessantly retort to the US aggression. The Iranian Government highly values its national interests and is not ready to compromise on them.
Iran also has the acclamation of rejecting the Zionist drama of "Holocaust" by stating it as a pretext; and showing its intent to wipe the Israel out of the world map by declaring it an illegitimate state. Iran still is firm on its same stance.

Encountering US and Western Powers
Iran, with uniformity in its words and deeds, has proved that it is capable of encountering the US and Western powers nefarious designs. Because of this reason, all conspiracies to deprive Iran of its nuclear capability have failed. The United States has not dared yet to take the challenge of attacking Iran after the ordeal experienced by the United States and its allies in the battlefields of Iraq and Afghanistan.
As far as Israel is concerned, it had to bite the dust in the hands of Hezbollah, which is enough for it; and now it seems from the indications that Israel will not commit the foolish mistake of attacking Iran. In his latest interview with CNN, Israeli Ambassador to the United States, Michael Oren, has said that the reports of an Israeli attack on Iran are not true and there are not even remote chances of such an attack.
Such a comment by the Israeli ambassador is the testimony of its impuissance. The Israeli ambassador is well aware of the matter that entangling with Iran can be tantamount to inviting self-destruction for Israel. The difficulty that Israel is facing is that its patron, the United States, is also not ready to take an action against Iran. It has become a matter of life and death for Israel.

Throbbing for Israel’s Policymaking Circles
The Israeli officials are extremely perplexed these days. They are facing such a complex issue that their military power can also be of no use to resolve it. It is a critical issue and finding a way to encounter it can only be a way to deal with it. For Israel, this fact has come to the fore that to get out of this situation of uncertainty, its sentinels would need extraordinary intelligence and astute. It would be throbbing for the policy-making circles of Israel and its allies all over the world that they have become a statue of yearning and Iran is building its nuclear program.
In view of the impetuosity with which the United States, its allies and the Israeli leaders started war against Iraq and the harsh results they faced out of that, the current situation is duly disappointing for Israel and its defenders in order to deal with Iran. Now the United States wants to focus on the Afghan war to hush up its failure. It has the intention to teach a lesson to Iran; however, it is well aware of its consequences.

US Influence in the Region
Presently, the situation is that Iran is there on the hit list of the United States; however, it has seen no advancement on this battleground. If the experiment of the US attack on Iraq had succeeded, the United States surely would not have missed any chance to destroy Iran -- the oil-rich and geographically significant country. It is due to the fact that to get control over Iran means extending the US control to the powerful Asian countries and to their borders and paving the way for fighting if required to create the US influence in the region.
However, in the current circumstance, the US military action against Iran will tantamount to a military suicide. The US Army has lost its power in Iraq and the Taliban in Afghanistan are doing the rest of the damage, where the month of July 2009 proved to be a risky month for the US Army.
It is an authentic fact that during these days, the Taliban and other tribal militia organizations have ascended with more power and strength and are giving a tough time to the allied forces. Any big military action or a full-fledge attack or invasion of the United States on Iran seems impossible now; and it is a fact that this hopelessness is the actual reason for the disappointment of Israeli officials.

Practical Manifestation
With this, the disappointment and concerns of Israel are also increasing. In the meanwhile, if Israel commits the foolish mistake of attacking Iran, it will surely damage the geo-strategic interests of the United States. The United States and its allies are anxious on this situation and they cannot find any solution to it.
The present situation is very throbbing for Israel, but all this is Israel's own doing. The practical manifestation of the tit-for-tat formula is now coming into action and the history has witnessed that when this process starts, the cruise of oppression takes no times to sink. Israel is about to get the retribution for its tyrannies.

Iran Proves Its Courageous Stand: Test-Fires Shahab Missile

Iran is in headlines again. Just two days before talks on non-proliferation were to start with big powers, Iran has fired dangerous and powerful missiles on an experimental basis. Before this, Iran had disclosed that it is building another plant for uranium enrichment. Because of this, the United States was concerned about Iran's nuclear program and the European powers were also intensely worried. This worry had increased with the successful launching of Iran's Shahab missile, causing intense consternation among big powers.

Opposition of Big Powers
The United States and other big powers opine that in Middle East, only Israel should be allowed to possess nuclear weapons. The Muslim and Arab countries, in particular, under no circumstances, should be allowed to become nuclear powers.

It is strange that the United States and the European powers are protesting against Iran becoming a nuclear power, keeping in view that Israel itself became a nuclear power without the knowledge of any international agency, and has built up a large arsenal of nuclear weapons.

Israel's relations are tense with its neighboring countries and also with the entire Arab world. It has also fought wars with these countries, and seized their land, particularly the Palestinian land, and broken all norms of humanity against them, from a humanitarian point of view and also under the international law. Israel has been given a free hand.

The responsibility of controlling this warmongering country with an aggressive bent of mind should be on the international community. Even after giving a free rein to Israel, big powers keep tightening their grip on Iraq or sometimes on Iran, for which there is no legitimate reason.

Criticism of Nuclear Program
Today, for no rhyme or reason, Iran's nuclear program is being criticized and being shown as a danger to the world. The same dangers were also attributed to Iraq. Approximately 30 years ago, Israel had destroyed Iraq's nuclear plant Osirak by its aggressive and unprovoked bombing. That time also, nobody criticized Israel's actions.

The world had called the Israeli action a humanitarian act. Deprived of its nuclear weapons, Iraq was then deprived of all its weapons of war, after the second Iraq War. Israel continues to possess nuclear weapons and also a large arsenal of destructive weapons, which it has manufactured itself or acquired from the United States and other countries to be used against the Palestinians. After destroying Iraq completely, the United States is exercising full control over it. Now, the United States is turning its attention toward Iran. Israel and the United States are making aggressive plans against Iran.

When Iran started constructing another nuclear plant to increase its nuclear capabilities, it informed the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) about it formally. Despite this, the United States and its allies are creating a furor about it. This is unfair and illegal, and also an open act of aggression and warmongering. If Iran is making nuclear weapons for its own protection, the United States and Israel should have no objections to it, as Israel has many times more powerful weapons than Iran. Aggressive plans against Iran have already drawn by the United States. US President Barack Obama has also warned Iran that if it continues with its nuclear program, it should be ready for war with big powers.

War Against Iran
It is fortunate that the present international situation has prevented the United States and its NATO allies from starting war against Iran. The United States also realizes that by starting war with Iran, it could be a loser instead of a winner. The Muslim countries will realize, if not now then later, that they are being wiped out, one-by-one. The day these Muslim leaders realize this and stop thinking of their own selfish ends, the United States will realize that it is in deep trouble.

By clarifying its position on the uranium enrichment plant and missiles testing in the UN conference, Iran has given proof of its courageous stand. We should praise its ambitions and the fact that it has ignored the threat from big powers to continue with its nuclear program to strengthen itself. The Iranian president is now replying to the US threats with his own threats. This is how Iran is fighting its war against those who are threatening its very existence.

Afghanistan, Iran, Pakistan Tripartite Summit

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad hosted a summit with his Pakistani and Afghan counterparts in Tehran on May 24, 2009 aimed at finding ways to combat Islamic extremism and drug smuggling in the region.Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai and his Pakistani counterpart Asif Ali Zardari both headed high-level delegations.

The summit came after Afghanistan’s largest-ever drugs seizure in an operation that ended on May 24 in a Taliban stronghold and opium-production centre in the south of the country, in which troops killed 60 militants.

Aims and Objectives
The summit among neighbors has always been important, specially under the grave conditions of today that three countries under threats and face important regional issues. The summit of the three heads of state was aimed at a discussion of regional security and other issues of mutual interest. At present the three nations are suffering from drug and human trafficking which has put pressure on the three countries.

The Tehran summit also aimed to create a ‘mechanism’ for regular high-level consultation between the three neighbours besides other issues of trilateral interests. Afghan social and economic developments as well as expanding cooperation on trade and communication systems are among the topics that were discussed at the summit.

Eliminating Terrorism
The trilateral summit reaffirmed their commitment to eliminate terrorism from the region and agreed to hold regular consultations on important matters between the three countries.

The leaders pledged to address the root cause of terrorism and extremism, “which are in stark contrast with the spirit of Islam and the rich cultural traditions of the region”. The leaders also agreed to establish a mechanism for holding regular consultations on important issues.

The three countries have to get together to tackle these challenges. It is not just the matter of their survival, but for the betterment and safety of their future generations.They can tackle every challenge and achieve progress by getting together.

Developing Mutual Cooperation
Pakistan, Iran, and Afghanistan, which are geologically neighbors and share common culture, history, and tradition, can tackle every challenge by getting together and achieving development and progress.

The summit also proposed to have a trilateral mechanism on the dialogue on development to realize the true potential of trade and economic cooperation among the three important countries of the region.

The leaders of the summit stressed on the need to further strengthen mutual cooperation among the three countries. They stressed that the three countries can achieve new milestones of economic progress by employing their resources.

He three Presidents stressed on the need for a common strategy to overcome the challenges faced by the countries in the fields of economy, development, and education.

Resolve Regional Problems
The leaders of the summit highlighted the importance of the regional cooperation and understanding. These three countries have close commonalties in civilization, culture as well as moralities and beliefs. They also have common enemies and friends. There are crippling and complicated problems in the region whose roots should be identified.

To resolve these problems, the people in the region should rely on their capabilities in various sectors. The three Presidents agreed on appropriate solutions to remove the problems in the region. Regional problems will be resolved through proper planning and public support, said the Iranian president. Heads of Iran, Afghanistan and Pakistan are determined to exchange views to serve the peoples of the three neighbouring States.

Threats of Superpowers
The three countries, at present, are facing a serious challenge by presence of superpowers. The region is facing different challenges in the region including that these nations allowed the superpowers to become our neighbor, but they are not seeking war, they are seeking for better neighborliness.

The three Presidents expressed their roles and responsibilities towards the present and the future generations that is to respond to the history and they must take steps towards it. There are plenty of problems that have surrounded borders of these three counties and none of which them can overlook. The three countries must try to turn the events in a positive way. In addition these countries can voice their message to the world through multilateral meetings and the world can also give a better response to them.

At the end of the summit, the three Presidents also suggested to holding the next summit in Islamabad which was accepted by the Afghan side as well as the host country. The dates of the next summit in Islamabad will be finalized through mutual consultation.