Latest news with #Peninsular-based
Borneo Post
28-05-2025
- Business
- Borneo Post
Petronas seeks ad hoc legal representation to challenge RM7.95 mln Petros claim
The legal team has applied to the Kuching High Court for ad hoc licences to appear. – AFP photo KUCHING (May 28): Petroliam Nasional Berhad (Petronas) is sending two Peninsular-based lawyers to represent it in the Kuching High Court in an ongoing legal dispute with Sarawak Petroleum Berhad's (Petros) over a RM7.95 million Maybank Islamic bank guarantee. The legal team, comprising Cyrus Vimala Kumar Vincent Das and Khoo Guan Huat, has applied to the Kuching High Court for ad hoc licences to appear. Their respective petitions are scheduled to be heard tomorrow (May 29) at the Sibu High Court, according to reliable sources. The case will be mentioned before Judicial Commissioner Datuk Faridz Gohim Abdullah this Friday (May 30), when the court is expected to address Petronas' applications for adjournment and stay of proceedings. According to a May 14 letter sighted by The Borneo Post , the Malaysian Attorney-General's Chamber raised no objections to the lawyers' petitions, supporting Petronas' right to be represented by its preferred legal counsel. The AG Chambers also expressed the view that the lawyers' involvement would assist the court in ensuring a comprehensive and fair disposal of the case – an issue that has reportedly not been litigated before. Petros, the plaintiff, is seeking a court order for the return of Rm7.95 million, paid to Petronas under the bank guarantee. The sum, Petros contends, was compensation for gas allegedly supplied in contravention of the Distribution of Gas Ordinance 2016, as Petronas is not the licensed gas aggregator in Sarawak. Petros argued that under the Sarawak Gas Sales Agreement dated Dec 30, 2019, Petronas lacks the necessary licence to distribute or supply gas in Sarawak, thereby invalidating the transaction. On April 28 this year, Kuching High Court Judicial Commissioner Datuk Faridz Gohim Abdullah dismissed Petronas' earlier application to stay proceedings, clearing the way for the main hearing on June 11. 'Petronas' application for a stay of proceedings lacked exceptional and compelling grounds, and there were no special circumstances to justify delaying the hearing of Petros' case, which is ready to proceed,' he said. The judicial commissioner further ruled that granting the stay sought by Petronas – pending the 'full and final disposal of the KL proceedings initiated by Shell SDMS Sdn Bhd' – would hinder the timely resolution of the Petros matter. Local counsel Alex Ngu, representing Petronas, informed the court of the company's intention to appeal the ruling and requested a further stay of proceedings pending the outcome of the appeal to the Court of Appeal. Both Petros and the State Attorney General's Chambers opposed the request for a further stay. State Legal Counsel Dato Sri JC Fong, appearing for the Sarawak government, asked the court to fix a hearing date for the Petros case and advised Petronas to apply for an expedited appeal under Rule 22 of the Rules of the Court of Appeal 1994. lead legal dispute Petronas Petros
Borneo Post
26-05-2025
- Politics
- Borneo Post
Nurul Izzah's 13-seat demand disregards local autonomy - STAR Sabah
Anuar KOTA KINABALU (May 26): Parti Solidariti Tanah Airku (STAR Sabah) has expressed strong objections to recent remarks made by PKR Deputy President Nurul Izzah Anwar, who announced her party's intention to contest at least 13 seats in the upcoming 17th Sabah State Election (PRN17). STAR Sabah views this move as a direct challenge to the political autonomy of Sabah said its information chief, Anuar Ghani. He said the demand for 13 seats by a Peninsular-based party implies a continued perception of Sabah as a political colony, rather than an equal partner in the Malaysian Federation. This undermines the spirit of the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63), which affirms Sabah's right to determine its own political direction. According to Anuar, Sabah is not a testing ground for outside political machinery. The party further criticizes Nurul Izzah's statement regarding the deployment of campaign teams from Selangor, Johor and Penang to Sabah, calling it intrusive and disrespectful to local sentiments. 'Sabah is not a political laboratory for Peninsular parties,' said Anuar. 'Sending in outside machinery shows a lack of sensitivity and reinforces the perception that national parties continue to undermine local leadership.' STAR Sabah also questioned the basis for PKR's seats claim, noting that the party previously won only two out of the 10 seats it contested in the last Sabah State election. 'To now demand 13 seats despite such a record reflects not only overreach but a lack of understanding of Sabah's evolving political landscape,' Anuar added. Some Sabahans say, 'Big ambition, Tamaha juga!' The party stressed that PRN17 is a state election, not a general election, and that priority must be given to Sabah-based parties who have long worked at the grassroots level, understood local issues, and maintained consistent engagement with the people. STAR Sabah reaffirms the principle of Borneonisation – enshrined in the 1962 Inter-Governmental Committee (IGC) Report and the MA63 – as a guiding doctrine for Sabah's governance. 'The right to self-govern, especially in public administration, must logically extend to the political realm. Sabahans have the right to reject external political dominance and chart their own course' said Anuar. STAR Sabah challenged PKR to name the specific 13 seats they intend to contest. 'Are they targeting seats currently held by local parties? Sabahans deserve transparency. We must know whether these demands will come at the expense of local political strength' Anuar concluded. STAR Sabah urges all Sabahans to stand united and support local parties that are committed to protecting Sabah's rights, identity, and future within the Federation of Malaysia. The division and disunity at PKR national level politics is viewed with grave concern by the people of Sabah.
Daily Express
21-05-2025
- Business
- Daily Express
Free-for-all likely: Joniston
Published on: Thursday, May 22, 2025 Published on: Thu, May 22, 2025 Text Size: Joniston (sixth right) officiating the newly-upgraded Poturidong – Tibabar road. Kota Kinabalu: The next Sabah state election could turn into a 'free-for-all' due to disagreements among parties trying to form alliances, said GRS information chief Datuk Joniston Bangkuai. The Kiulu assemblyman said his coalition must be prepared for any eventuality, including contesting independently, as indicated by Chief Minister and GRS chairman Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor. 'A free-for-all could be a blessing in disguise, as such a scenario would allow Sabahans to choose between a coalition of local parties and those led by Peninsular-based parties,' he said during a meet-the-people session in Kampung Tibabar here. GRS currently leads the state government in partnership with Sabah Pakatan Harapan, while Sabah Barisan Nasional has been in the opposition since withdrawing its support in early 2023. Recently, Hajiji said that GRS was ready and willing to contest the election on its own. This followed an announcement by PH and BN of their pact to work together in the upcoming election, a move many observers described as a deliberate snub to GRS. Bangkuai, who also serves as Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) information chief, said GRS has demonstrated that local-based coalitions are capable of delivering meaningful development while maintaining a close working relationship with the federal government. Advertisement He said the GRS-PH state government currently enjoys a cordial working relationship with Putrajaya under Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim's leadership. He also pointed to the annual federal special grant, which he said increased from RM53 million when Warisan was in power to RM600 million under GRS. 'Another example is the signing of the Commercial Collaboration Agreement (CCA) between the GRS-led state government and Petronas, which has shored up the state's revenue,' Bangkuai stated. He reiterated that the current scenario has benefited Sabah, citing increased annual revenue of RM6.9 billion and state reserves close to RM8 billion.'We are not anti-federal, but we believe Sabah must lead itself, with leaders not bound by outside instructions,' he affirmed. 'GRS is proof that Sabah can work maturely with Putrajaya and still prioritise the people of Sabah above all.' * 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. Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express's Telegram channel. Daily Express Malaysia
New Straits Times
21-05-2025
- Politics
- New Straits Times
Sabah likely facing a 'free-for-all' election, says GRS info chief
KOTA KINABALU: A free-for-all scenario in the upcoming Sabah state election is likely, says Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) information chief Datuk Joniston Bangkuai. He said the possibility arose from disagreements over seat allocations among parties seeking to form electoral alliances. As such, Joniston stressed that GRS must be prepared for all eventualities, including contesting independently, as stated by Chief Minister and GRS chairman, Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor. Hajiji had previously said that GRS was ready to go it alone following the declaration signed between Barisan Nasional (BN) and Pakatan Harapan (PH) to cooperate in the Sabah election — a move widely seen as a deliberate snub to GRS. However, Joniston, who is also Kiulu assemblyman, suggested that a multi-cornered contest could be a blessing in disguise. He said such a scenario would allow the people of Sabah to make a clear choice between locally-based coalitions and those led by parties headquartered in Peninsular Malaysia. Speaking at a meet-the-people session in Kampung Tibabar after officiating the upgraded Poturidong-Tibabar road, he said: "Sabahans could treat the upcoming state election as a referendum — to choose between GRS, which is locally rooted, and Peninsular-based parties like the Umno-led BN, PH, and Parti Warisan Plus. "This will be a definitive test of whether we prefer leadership from local-based parties or those answerable to parties in Kuala Lumpur." Joniston, who is also Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) information chief, said GRS had shown that locally-based coalitions were capable of delivering meaningful development while maintaining constructive relations with the federal government. He cited the cordial relationship between the GRS-led state administration and the federal government under Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim as an example. Joniston said that the annual federal special grant had increased significantly — from RM53 million during Warisan's administration to RM600 million under GRS. Another milestone, he said, was the signing of the Commercial Collaboration Agreement (CCA) between the Sabah government and Petronas, which brought tangible benefits and bolstered state revenue. He attributed Sabah's improved fiscal performance — including an increase in annual revenue to RM6.9 billion and state reserves nearing RM8 billion — to effective governance, a clear development strategy under the Sabah Maju Jaya initiative, and close collaboration with Putrajaya. "We are not anti-federal. But we believe Sabah should lead itself — with leaders not bound by external instructions. "GRS is proof that Sabah can engage maturely with Putrajaya while still placing the interests of its people first," he said. Joniston also addressed past political manoeuvres involving Umno-BN, Warisan, and Parti Kesejahteraan Demokratik Masyarakat (KDM), describing their collective attempt to unseat the Chief Minister in January 2023 as politically self-serving and destabilising. "It was never about leadership — it was about control and self-interest," he said. He urged voters to reflect on the attempted power grab and to choose stability over political gamesmanship. "We've seen the damage that reckless power plays can cause. Sabah needs steady leadership and genuine commitment. This election is our chance to move forward — not backwards," he said.
New Straits Times
12-05-2025
- Politics
- New Straits Times
GRS open to cooperation if it ensures Sabah's political stability
TAWAU: Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) has no issue working with other political coalitions, including Pakatan Harapan (PH), as long as it is aimed at creating political stability and, subsequently, ensuring the wellbeing and welfare of the people. Its chairman, Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor, who is also the Sabah Chief Minister, said any decision related to political cooperation with other parties would be discussed and decided by the GRS Supreme Council. However, Hajiji stressed that any such decision must take into consideration the sentiments and aspirations of the people in the state. He said he and Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim had a lengthy discussion on the importance of political stability for Sabah's future during their meeting yesterday. "We agreed on the need for cooperation to ensure continued progress and development. "We respect the partnership and the advice to create political stability, because with stability, we can move forward and implement development programmes. "In terms of cooperation, we have no issues. The state government, along with us, consists of GRS and Pakatan Harapan," he told the media during the "A Day with the Chief Minister" programme in Kunak, near here. It was reported yesterday that Anwar, who is PH chairman and PKR president, had said he would leave it to GRS to discuss possible cooperation with Barisan Nasional (BN). On Friday, PH and BN announced themselves as an election pact for the upcoming Sabah polls. The decision prompted Hajiji to state that GRS would go solo if the Peninsular-based coalitions proceed with their cooperation. Hajiji also highlighted the importance of understanding the sentiments and aspirations of the people of Sabah to ensure that political cooperation progresses harmoniously and effectively. "We need to consider the sentiments and aspirations of our people to establish a political understanding that will move us forward. "Whatever decisions we make in the upcoming elections will be referred to and decided by the highest council members of GRS," he said.
