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Daily Express
11-08-2025
- Business
- Daily Express
Why Sabah contractors are left out?
Published on: Monday, August 11, 2025 Published on: Mon, Aug 11, 2025 By: Winnie Kasmir Text Size: Wong questioned why almost all project tenders are still awarded through peninsula-based channels despite the projects being implemented in Sabah. Kuala Lumpur: Sandakan Member of Parliament Vivian Wong Shir Yee told parliament that the Pan Borneo Highway is a disappointment in Sabah as only four of the 16 Phase 1A packages have been completed after more than a decade. She cited a report by The Edge Malaysia dated July 28 that highlighted the cancellation of a RM1.07 billion contract awarded to Ireka Corporation for Pan Borneo construction works. Advertisement She questioned why almost all project tenders are still awarded through peninsula-based channels despite the projects being implemented in Sabah. 'When we question why Sabah contractors are not given a chance, the answer is that Sabah has no contractors that are on par with those in the peninsula. 'But what results have these peninsula contractors delivered so far?' she asked during the 13th Malaysia Plan (RMK-13) debate in the Dewan Rakyat. She said instead of continuing to tolerate the 'Ali Baba' contractor system, where tenders are awarded to main contractors who then pass the work down through multiple layers of sub-contractors, the government should allow the state to handle direct tendering to empower truly qualified local contractors. Advertisement She said the Federal Government also has to urgently address the glaring development gap between Sabah and Peninsular Malaysia, particularly in the East Coast. 'RMK-13 emphasises inclusive and high-impact development, but if none of this reaches Sabah, especially the East Coast, it will remain nothing but rhetoric,' she said. She said the people of Sabah want results, not repeat promises featured in national development plans. She described recurring issues such as power outages, lack of clean water and poor road conditions as the 'triple hardship' that continues to burden the people of Sabah. 'Blackouts, dry taps, and moon-like roads — this is the daily reality that continues to hinder the state's economic progress,' she said. She called for the immediate implementation of the Southern Link Grid Line and the Sarawak-Sabah Grid Interconnection to address the prolonged electricity supply crisis in the East Coast. On water, she questioned the delay in an alternative water source study which is only scheduled to begin in 2026, despite salinity problems at Sungai Segaliud being reported since 2022. * 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
Associated Press
30-01-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
Standard Lithium, Equinor announce Smackover Lithium as new joint venture name
LEWISVILLE, Ark., Jan. 30, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Standard Lithium Ltd. ('Standard Lithium') (TSXV:SLI) (NYSE:A:SLI), a leading near-commercial lithium developer, and Equinor, a global energy leader, today announced Smackover Lithium as the new name for their joint venture developing direct lithium extraction ('DLE') projects in Southwest Arkansas and East Texas. Smackover Lithium was announced yesterday at a community meeting in Lewisville, Arkansas, home of a planned field office and nearby the joint venture's South West Arkansas ('SWA') project. The SWA project, located in Lafayette and Columbia counties, is expected to be one of the world's first commercial-scale DLE facilities. 'Smackover Lithium is a natural fit for the joint venture given the Smackover formation's prolific resource and our joint venture's commitment to adding to the incredible legacy of American energy production from this region,' said David Park, CEO of Standard Lithium. In May 2024, Equinor formed a joint venture with Standard Lithium to advance DLE projects in the Smackover basin, focused on Southwest Arkansas and East Texas. Smackover Lithium is now the external brand for the joint venture and will continue building on Standard Lithium's work with local communities to enhance economic development and grow educational and workforce opportunities. 'We are excited to be a part of Smackover Lithium, developing critical mineral projects in the Smackover basin and building the next generation of lithium development,' said Allie Kennedy Thurmond, Vice President of US Lithium at Equinor. For more information on Smackover Lithium, please visit: About Standard Lithium Ltd. Standard Lithium is a leading near-commercial lithium development company focused on the sustainable development of a portfolio of large, high-grade lithium-brine properties in the United States. The Company prioritizes projects characterized by the highest quality resources, robust infrastructure, skilled labor, and streamlined permitting. Standard Lithium aims to achieve sustainable, commercial-scale lithium production via the application of a scalable and fully integrated DLE and purification process. The Company's flagship projects are located in the Smackover Formation, a world-class lithium brine asset, focused in Arkansas and Texas. In partnership with global energy leader Equinor, Standard Lithium is advancing the SWA project, a greenfield project located in southern Arkansas, and actively exploring promising lithium brine prospects in East Texas. Additionally, the Company is advancing the Phase 1A project in partnership with LANXESS Corporation, a brownfield development project located in southern Arkansas. Standard Lithium also holds an interest in certain mineral leases in the Mojave Desert in San Bernardino County, California. Standard Lithium trades on both the TSX Venture Exchange (the 'TSXV') and the NYSE American under the symbol 'SLI'; and on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange under the symbol 'S5L'. Please visit the Company's website at About Equinor Equinor is an international energy company committed to long-term value creation in a low-carbon future. Equinor's portfolio of projects encompasses oil and gas, renewables and low-carbon solutions, with an ambition of becoming a net-zero energy company by 2050. Headquartered in Norway, Equinor is the leading operator on the Norwegian continental shelf and is present in around 30 countries worldwide. Our partnership with Standard Lithium to mature DLE projects builds on our broad US energy portfolio of oil and gas, offshore wind, low carbon solutions and battery storage projects. Media Contacts: Chris Lang Standard Lithium Ltd. Ola Morten Aanestad [email protected] Neither the TSXV nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSXV) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. This news release may contain certain 'forward-looking statements' within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and 'forward-looking information' within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws. When used in this news release, the words 'anticipate', 'believe', 'estimate', 'expect', 'target, 'plan', 'forecast', 'may', 'schedule' and other similar words or expressions identify forward-looking statements or information. These forward-looking statements or information may relate to intended development timelines, future prices of commodities, accuracy of mineral or resource exploration activity, reserves or resources, regulatory or government requirements or approvals, the reliability of third party information, continued existence and success of the joint venture, continued access to mineral properties or infrastructure, fluctuations in the market for lithium and its derivatives, changes in exploration costs and government regulation in Canada and the United States, and other factors or information. Such statements and information represent the Company's current views with respect to future events and are necessarily based upon a number of assumptions and estimates that, while considered reasonable by the Company, are inherently subject to significant business, economic, competitive, political and social risks, contingencies and uncertainties. Many factors, both known and unknown, could cause results, performance or achievements to be materially different from the results, performance or achievements that are or may be expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements or information. The Company does not intend, and does not assume any obligation to, update these forward-looking statements or information to reflect changes in assumptions or changes in circumstances or any other events affecting such statements or information other than as required by applicable laws, rules and regulations.
