KUALA LUMPUR (Sept 30): Barakah Offshore Petroleum Bhd is suing Petroliam Nasional Bhd (Petronas) for suspending its wholly owned unit’s licence to bid for new projects from the national oil company in 2019.
Barakah also named former Petronas president-cum-chief executive officer (CEO) Tan Sri Wan Zulkiflee Wan Arifin, current president and Group CEO Datuk Tengku Muhammad Taufik Tengku Aziz and chief financial officer Liza Mustapha as defendants.
Other defendants included Shamsudin Miskon, Nasrin Amir, Noor Mohamad Taj, Freida Amat and Shaliza Abdul Malik.
“The action is commenced for misfeasance in public office and unlawful interference in trade or business by reason of the defendants’ wrongful issue and maintenance of an indefinite suspension notice issued by the first defendant Petronas on July 8, 2019 against the company’s wholly-owned subsidiary, PBJV Group Sdn Bhd (PBJV),” said Barakah in a filing with Bursa Malaysia.
In the suit filed in the High Court, Barakah is seeking a mandatory injunction for the suspension of licence to be lifted, damages for misfeasance in public office, and damages for unlawful interference in trade or business
Barakah also announced the withdrawal of its appeal against the High Court decision dismissing its earlier claim against Petronas, which was reported by The Edge on Thursday.
It had filed the appeal after failing in the lawsuit against Petronas and its unit Petronas Carigali Sdn Bhd at the High Court on March 31.
Barakah was demanding RM1.02 billion as compensation from Petronas and Petronas Carigali over what it claimed to be an unwarranted suspension notice.
Barakah said the notice was issued after the completion of a contract to provide underwater services for Petronas Carigali, based on grounds of adverse reports of PBJV’s performance.
Barakah disputed the validity of the suspension notice, saying that it was issued without any legal justification nor compliance to procedures.
Shares of Barakah closed unchanged at 2.5 sen on Friday, valuing the group at RM25.07 million.