Darell
KOTA KINABALU: The Kimanis By-Election is the perfect avenue to show support for the Chief Minister, Datuk Seri Panglima Haji Mohd Shafie bin Haji Apdal’s effort to regain the control of gas in Sabah.
“We all know that Kimanis is the main supplier of natural gas in Borneo and Malaysia because Kimanis is the gateway for our gas to be channeled to places such as Bintulu via the Sabah-Sarawak Gas Pipeline (SSGP) for refinery purposes,” said Parti Warisan Sabah deputy president, Datuk Darell Leiking.
“The decision by the past State Government, spearheaded by Umno, in allowing our gas to be channeled to another State deprived Kimanis and Sabah of a great economic source while other districts outside Sabah are booming with infrastructure and jobs courtesy of our own gas and the perfect example of this is Bintulu,” he said in a statement yesterday.
Darell, who is also the Minister of International Trade and Industry, also pointed out missed investment opportunities in Sabah for not having control of its own gas.
“We missed one major international investor last year who was ready to invest billions of ringgit in Sabah by turning the State into the biggest fertilizer producer in the world simply because we have no control over our own gas.”
Imagine the number of direct employments and those enjoying the economic spill-over effect created by that anchor investor in Sabah; it would have simply provided economic opportunities for up to 5,000 or more people, he said.
“There are many other investment opportunities that Sabah missed as investors decided to invest in Bintulu because we have no control over our own gas; they (the investors) want cheap gas to enable full swing production in the factory, 24/7, but it is ironic that even though we have abundant supply of gas, we can’t provide what they want!
“So it is indeed an insult to Sabahans when Umno leaders from West Malaysia come to Sabah and tell us that Kimanis lacks this and that when in the first place, this is their previous own doing; we should first and foremost, have control of our own gas so that we can attract investors to come and invest in Sabah.”
Darell pointed out that by logic, this would have made us less financially dependent upon the Federal Government while at the same time, contribute significantly to the country in manufacturing and service sectors.
“Imagine the frustration we Sabahans have to endure when Pengerang, Johor that has nothing at all had been turned into an Oil and Gas hub in the Southern Corridor and is now one of the fastest growing districts in Malaysia while Kimanis that has everything is left out,” he lamented.
He also pointed out that before the court decided on the Kimanis petition filed by Warisan, the Chief Minister had already been working hard to regain control of the State’s own gas.
“Gas is one of the most important enablers in manufacturing so in order for us to turn our State into a manufacturing and processing superpower, we must firstly have to control our own gas.
“And to control our own gas, we must control the area that caused the outflow to other places by putting a limit on how much can go out.
“Hence, long before the court decided on the Kimanis By Election, our Chief Minister, Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal had already been fighting hard to enable the State to regain control of our own gas and he is now limiting the outflow of our natural gas to other states in Malaysia that goes out through Kimanis.
“When there is a limit to the outflow, obviously there will be access (of gas) in Sabah and this will push the price down and the immediate beneficiary will be Kimanis and its surrounding areas such as Sipitang because cheap and abundant supply of gas is the main attraction for foreign investors to come and invest.
“And don’t forget; the matters on gas is also one of the remaining four unresolved issues out of the 21 that have been deliberated and discussed by the MA63 Steering Committee because it (matters on gas) requires amendment to the existing law and I don’t know, maybe it is through God’s will that everything seemed to be inter-related; Kimanis is all about gas and the gateway where our gas flows out, the negotiation between the Chief Minister of Sabah/ Prime Minister over this matter is still ongoing and we are having our Kimanis by-election before March 2020 (when the tabling of Sabah’s rights will take place in Dewan Rakyat).
“I can only deduce that Sabahans, particularly the Kimanis voters have been given the perfect opportunity to show their support to the Chief Minister of Sabah who has been working very hard to regain control of our oil and gas for the benefit of the State or to continue supporting Umno that never even bothered at all to look into this matter,” he concluded.