Riau council demands House to revise oil and gas law

Riau?s provincial legislative council (DPRD) has rejected the newly approved oil and gas law and asked the House of Representatives (DPR) to revise the legislation before being implemented it.

The rejection was formally announced by the chairman of the province?s legislative council Chaidir at the council?s building on Monday amid protest from about 1,500 oil workers, who supported the new oil and gas law.

?The rejection was in line with the result of the council?s plenary meeting,? Chaidir said, adding that the rejection was made because the new law did not represent the aspiration of the province?s people.

Among the demands made by Riau are to give five percent of the oil and gas production to the provincial administration, and to give the province the authority in determining the contract to companies which will operate oil and gas in the province and to control their activities. (*)