GPS man calls on Sarawak to build its own oil refineries
Batu Kitang assemblyman Lo Khere Chiang said Sarawak should emulate Singapore and better harness its resources for a better future. (Facebook pic)
PETALING JAYA : A Gabungan Parti Sarawak assemblyman has proposed that the state emulate Singapore and build its own oil refineries.
Lo Khere Chiang said Sarawak would be able to reduce crude outflow, boost revenue and create thousands of skilled jobs for locals if it had its own refineries, the Dayak Daily reported.
'The time has come to harness our resources for our own future,' the Batu Kitang assemblyman from Sarawak United People's Party was quoted as saying.
Singapore's oil refining sector is primarily concentrated on Jurong Island. Its three main refineries have a refining capacity of 1.5 million barrels per day.
Lo's call for Sarawak to build its own refineries comes amid the state's push for greater control over its oil and gas resources.
Earlier this evening, the federal and Sarawak governments reaffirmed the respective roles of national oil company Petronas and Sarawak's state-owned Petros in developing the state's oil and gas industry.
Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim Anwar said the joint statement issued with Sarawak premier Abang Johari Openg recognised Sarawak's growing capabilities and its rights under the Petroleum Development Act (PDA) and the Distribution of Gas Ordinance (DGO), while preserving Petronas's strategic role at the national level.
Separately, Lo claimed that there was growing discontent over how the PDA and Territorial Sea Act 2012 (TSA2012) had been imposed 'without consultation, consent or fairness on Sarawak'.
He said for the past 50 years, Sarawak had surrendered more than RM1 trillion worth of oil and gas while receiving disproportionately little in return.
'This is being used to attack the GPS government.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Star
an hour ago
- The Star
Sub-regional initiatives complement AEC goals
KUALA LUMPUR: Sub-regional initiatives such as the Indonesia-Malaysia-Thailand Growth Triangle (IMT-GT) and the Brunei Darussalam-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines East Asean Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA) have not only borne fruit significantly, but also proven to be vital complements to the Asean Economic Community (AEC) in boosting trade, investment and regional connectivity. UOB Kay Hian Wealth Advisors Sdn Bhd head of investment research Mohd Sedek Jantan said while the AEC sets a broad macroeconomic framework, prioritising sub-regional areas have also addressed developmental disparities by targeting marginalised and less-developed areas while operationalising Asean's inclusive growth agenda. 'The IMT-GT hugs the Straits of Malacca, one of the world's busiest trade routes, while the BIMP-EAGA sits along the Sulu and Sulawesi Seas, a gateway for maritime connectivity, making them natural nodes for boosting trade, investment and connectivity across Asean and beyond. 'Their strength lies in their focus on what economists call 'spatial economics' –targeting lagging regions with tailored interventions,' he told Bernama. These sub-regions were not just random patches of land, but are strategically positioned along critical maritime corridors, he added. Elaborating, Mohd Sedek said IMT-GT leans into agro-processing and tourism, capitalising on the complementarities between southern Thailand, northern Peninsular Malaysia and Sumatra, while BIMP-EAGA plays to its strengths in fisheries, renewable energy and ecotourism. 'This is not a one-size-fits-all approach; it is about leveraging local advantages to plug into regional and global value chains,' he said. Both sub-regional initiatives will develop special economic zones (SEZs), which act as economic rocket fuels by attracting foreign investments, sparking industrial growth and creating jobs through incentives and streamlined regulations. In the IMT-GT, zones such as Medan and Bukit Kayu Hitam in Malaysia, or Sei Mangkei in Indonesia, are already humming with activity, while BIMP-EAGA boasts over 60 SEZs from Bitung in Indonesia to Zamboanga in the Philippines. 'These zones are not just factories – they are engines of structural transformation, fostering 'agglomeration economies' – clusters where businesses, workers, and infrastructure feed off each other to drive growth. 'By linking these SEZs to cross-border trade and investment, IMT-GT and BIMP-EAGA are building bridges to Asean's broader economic cohesion,' he said. Mohd Sedek said Asean could leverage IMT-GT and BIMP-EAGA in sectors such as tourism, agrobusiness, renewable energy and manufacturing. Tourism remains a high-impact sector with strong growth in eco and halal tourism. For example, IMT-GT is promoting cross-border tourism under its Vision 2036. BIMP-EAGA focuses on community-based ecotourism and multi-country tourism circuits aligned with Asean standards, with strategic sites such as the Heart of Borneo and the Sulu-Sulawesi Marine Ecoregion, further enhancing the value of regional tourism offerings. Mohd Sedek said both sub-regions aim to build integrated value chains in the agrobusiness sector, with IMT-GT leading in agro-processing like palm oil and rubber, while BIMP-EAGA serves as Asean's food basket (shrimp, rice and seaweed), adding that halal food industries also benefit from this regional complementarity. He highlighted the potential of geothermal energy in Kalimantan as well as ocean energy and biodiesel, saying that the clean energy transition is important due to rising energy costs, which could benefit other Asean countries. The same applies to the manufacturing sector, where export-oriented industries in SEZs such as Medan, Sei Mangkei and Lhokseumawe are driving structural transformation and deeper integration into regional value chains. Mohd Sedek said both sub-regions have become critical platforms for advancing Asean's inclusive development agenda by targeting economically lagging and geographically marginalised regions. He said their interventions have helped narrow intra-national development gaps and improve spatial equity as well as challenges not fully addressed by the AEC. 'For instance, IMT-GT's economic corridors such as the Penang-Medan corridor has facilitated US$4.2bil (RM17.8bil) in trade in 2024, while the Malaysia-Thailand cross-border infrastructure projects have significantly enhanced connectivity. 'Similarly, BIMP-EAGA's Vision 2025 has catalysed US$2.8bil (RM11.87bil) in infrastructure investments, including major upgrades to the Davao and Bitung ports, reinforcing regional resilience and supporting Asean's broader connectivity goals under the Master Plan on Asean Connectivity 2025,' he said. Beyond infrastructure, Mohd Sedek said both sub-regional initiatives have boosted local economies by developing SEZs and strengthening regional value chains. He cited Thailand's Southern Economic Corridor – supported under IMT-GT – which generated over 15,000 jobs in 2023, with projects that not only attract foreign investment and integrate entrepreneurs into regional supply chains but also promote sectoral complementarity in agriculture, energy and tourism. Their bottom-up, project-driven approach complements Asean's top-down mechanisms, acting as decentralised building blocks of integration. 'By reinforcing trade linkages, fostering human capital development and enhancing cross-border governance, IMT-GT and BIMP-EAGA help Asean hedge against global supply chain risks and advance a more resilient, balanced and people-centric regional growth trajectory,' he further added.
Free Malaysia Today
4 hours ago
- Free Malaysia Today
Let laundromats use subsidised gas tanks too, group urges govt
Using commercial LPG cylinders will add to the financial pressure faced by laundromats, said the Malay Unified Laundry Association. (Bernama pic) PETALING JAYA : A group representing laundromat operators has urged the government to allow them to use subsidised liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) cylinders, in addition to micro- and small-sized food and beverage traders. The Malay Unified Laundry Association (Mula) said it was disappointed that the domestic trade and cost of living ministry's review of 2021 regulations pertaining to LPG cylinders was only focused on these F&B traders. It said the laundromat subsector mostly comprised small- and medium-sized enterprises that depend on the subsidised gas tanks for their dryers. This applied to both on-premise or coin-operated laundromats. 'Using commercial LPG cylinders will add to the financial pressure faced by laundromat operators who generally only serve domestic users. 'Also, most of them are still recovering from the effects of the pandemic and face other increases in operational costs,' it said in a statement. The association suggested that the ministry engage industry players to get a clear picture of their situation, saying an inclusive policy regarding LPG cylinders would benefit everyone. Currently, any business using over 42kg of LPG at any one time must apply for a scheduled controlled goods permit. Yesterday, domestic trade and cost of living minister Armizan Mohd Ali said the Control of Supplies Regulations (Amendment) 2021 will be reviewed with a focus on the needs of micro- and small-sized F&B businesses, and to ensure clarity regarding the regulation. Until the review is finalised, no legal action will be taken against micro- and small-sized businesses in the F&B sector regarding the use of subsidised cooking gas tanks. However, the ministry will continue to combat the illegal use of subsidised LPG cylinders by non-eligible industries and the decanting of gas from subsidised cylinders to non-subsidised ones before being sold at a profit. Commercial LPG cylinders cost nearly RM70 each – almost three times the rate of subsidised gas tanks.
The Star
5 hours ago
- The Star
‘We have to build an energy superstar'
President Group CEO Tan Sri Tengku Muhammad Taufik. PETROLIAM Nasional Bhd (PETRONAS) has swiftly denied talk that its upstream arm in Canada will be sold, emphasising the importance of such an asset as the group navigates its journey as PETRONAS 2.0. PETRONAS Energy Canada Ltd (PECL) is the operator and majority stakeholder (72%) in the North Montney Joint Venture (NMJV) project, one of Canada's largest shale gas plays – or what an industry expert describes as 'crown jewel'. Billed as RM9.73 for the 1st month then RM13.90 thereafters. RM12.33/month RM8.63/month Billed as RM103.60 for the 1st year then RM148 thereafters. Free Trial For new subscribers only
