KOTA KINABALU: Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Anifah Aman is unhappy with Petronas for failing to include Bumiputeras in developing business opportunity in Sabah.
He said the national oil conglomerate had sidelined local companies as it prefers to engage concessionaires from outside Sabah in its operation here.
“Despite having been here for a very long time, the only thing to show that Petronas was open to working with local companies was a memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed with DPMM (Malay Chamber of Commerce of Malaysia) with regard to its oil and gas project in Kimanis.
“Even then, it is not good enough, as it is not legally binding and therefore not enforceable,” he said when officiating at the DPMM Sabah 13th Annual General Meeting here yesterday.
Anifah stressed the company must ensure locals could benefit from their activities in Sabah or their presence here should be reduced and limited.
He reminded Petronas must not to neglect its responsibilities and fulfill the conditions relating to the 250 acres of native land surrendered to them by the villagers of Kg Takis in Kimanis, Papar for development of the multi-billion Sabah Oil and Gas Terminal (SOGT) project.
According to him, he among others had asked the company to build a technical school for training local youths in skills relevant to the industry in return for the local community’s willingness to let them develop the project in their area.
“I also asked them to build facilities for downstream activities in Kimanis. If they are sincere and want to help the state’s economy then they should make their presence benefit the locals,” he added.
Anifah said he would do everything in his power to have Petronas and other related parties work towards addressing the lack of participation in the lucrative oil and gas industry from Sabahans.
Anifah, who is also Kimanis MP, expressed disappointment that Bintulu, rather than Sabah would be the destination for the gas to be landed from the SOGT.