Sabah must start leading in oil and gas: Azis

Daily Express

09-07-2025

Published on: Thursday, July 10, 2025
Published on: Thu, Jul 10, 2025
By: Abbey Junior Text Size: Azis (left) also dismissed the claim that working quietly has brought results for Sabah. Masidi (right). Kota Kinabalu: Warisan on Wednesday hit out at Sabah Finance Minister Datuk Seri Masidi Manjun for saying the State is not ready to bid for upstream oil and gas projects, calling the statement a reflection of poor political will rather than capacity. Its Information Chief Datuk Mohd Azis Jamman said Sabah can no longer afford to remain on the sidelines while others profit from its resources. 'If we claim we lack expertise, then bring in real experts — not loyalists whose only skills are to plunder and pander,' he said in a statement, Wednesday. He said Sabah must stop relying on sub-contracts and concessions handed out by external parties, and instead take the lead in building its own capacity and control. On Tuesday, Masidi told the State Assembly that state-owned firms Sabah International Petroleum (SIP) and SMJ Energy were not bidding for oil and gas blocks due to a lack of technical know-how and capital. He was responding to Warisan President Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal (Senallang), who had questioned why Sabah firms were left out of the Mutiara Cluster project off Sandakan. The contract was recently awarded to Dialog Resources Sdn Bhd, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Dialog Group Berhad based in Peninsular Malaysia. Azis questioned the rationale behind the State's passive approach and said experience can only come if Sabah starts participating actively. 'Every million starts with one. If we wait forever, we will always be excluded from our own wealth,' he said. He pointed out that the State had previously issued nearly RM1 billion in Sukuk to settle debts, including for vessels that remain unaccounted for. 'So, don't tell us it's impossible to raise funds for SMJ Energy to participate both upstream and downstream,' he said. He added that Sabah can form strategic partnerships with credible investors, provided the State retains control over the management of its natural resources. Azis also dismissed the claim that working quietly has brought results for Sabah. 'Our oil wealth continues to leave Sabah, yet our people see very little of the benefit,' he said. He stressed that the core issue is not Sabah's readiness, but whether its leaders are bold enough to prioritise the State's future over political convenience. 'True leadership isn't about waiting. It's about taking action — and ensuring that Sabah finally gets what it deserves.' * Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel and Telegram for breaking news alerts and key updates! * Do you have access to the Daily Express e-paper and online exclusive news? Check out subscription plans available.
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