Petronas has confidence that its long-term business engagements in Burma will bring about socio-economic change and improve the human rights situation in the military-ruled country.

Responding to a malaysiakini query on the alleged violations of human rights in areas of its operations in Burma, an official spokesperson for the oil and gas corporation said Petronas believes that its investments in a particular country would contribute directly or indirectly to the socio-economic progress of that country and its people.

"In relation to the human rights agenda, it has been amply demonstrated that respect for human rights will inevitably increase, and entrenched habits get neutralised, whenever a country achieves good economic and social progress," said a Petronas spokesperson in a faxed statement.

Last month, Petronas' UK-based partner in the Yetagun gas field and pipeline project in southern Burma, Premier Oil, admitted that human rights violations had occurred within its areas of operations.

Premier Oil chief Charles Jamieson said his company had raised the issue of human right abuses in Premier-controlled areas with the Burma government.

"It is not just human rights but environmental [abuses], too," he added.

However, in its statement, Petronas neither acknowledged nor denied reports that human rights abuses, such as forced labour and military intimidation, were occurring within its area of operations in Burma.