PETALING JAYA: Petroliam Nasional Bhd (Petronas) will take legal recourse over the arrest of its former officer in Sudan.

       In a statement yesterday, the national oil company said that its joint-venture (JV) company in Sudan, PetroDar Operating Company (PDOC), was in the process of cancelling the warrant of arrest.

       “PDOC, a JV company in Sudan in which Petronas has an interest, is pursuing legal recourse to cancel a wrongful warrant of arrest issued against its former officers relating to trade union claims made against PDOC.

       “PDOC’s external counsel is in the process of cancelling the warrant of arrest,” Petronas said.

       It issued the statement after news reports emerged that Sudan had issued an arrest warrant against a Petronas top official, following news of Sudan’s move to seize Petronas assets in the African nation.

       Petronas pointed out that the matter was unrelated to the ongoing legal proceedings to reclaim its rights over the land and its complex in Khartoum.

       Petronas said that it had filed a request for arbitration at the International Centre for Settlement of Dispute or ICSID.

       “As the legal processes have commenced, Petronas is unable to provide further information on both matters,” it said.

       Petronas has been present in Sudan for more than 20 years