Latest news with #SherellJeffrey
Daily Express
04-08-2025
- Politics
- Daily Express
What past Prime Ministers didn't do
Published on: Monday, August 04, 2025 Published on: Mon, Aug 04, 2025 By: Sherell Jeffrey Text Size: Anwar said the Federal Government is committed to protecting Sabah's territorial rights, noting that allegations in Parliament suggest that Malaysia had already conceded territory. Kota Kinabalu: Anwar said unlike previous Prime Ministers, he included Sabah in discussions regarding the Sulawesi Sea (Ambalat) issue. 'Previously, did the Prime Minster call state representatives to discuss together in international negotiations? 'We in the Madani Government do this (call everyone into the discussion) because to decide on borders, we must involve the state governments, including the Sabah State Government,' he said, referring to recent meetings with Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto which was attended by Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor and Sarawak Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Abdul Rahman Zohari. Anwar said the Federal Government is committed to protecting Sabah's territorial rights, noting that allegations in Parliament suggest that Malaysia had already conceded territory. He said President Prabowo is both a personal and family friend. We discussed the Sulawesi Sea issue and I informed in front of Hajiji that we need to discuss parameters according to law, according to UNCLOS 1982, according to historical antecedents and must be agreed upon by the Sabah Government and ultimately the State Legislative Assembly,' Anwar said, pointing out these were official meeting minutes, not mere speculation. 'I want to defend this principle. We will defend the rights of Sabah. We will not allow even one inch of sea or land to be encroached upon by anyone or claimed by anyone,' he said. He noted the ongoing legal battles, including the case at the Spanish courts against Sulu claimants, where Malaysia continues to fight to protect Sabah's rights as an integral part of the federation. Regarding potential joint ventures between Petronas and Indonesia's Pertamina for seabed exploration, Anwar said this would only apply to areas where oil reserves cross both countries' boundaries beneath the seabed. He drew parallels to existing Joint Development Authorities with Vietnam and Thailand, pointing out that any agreements would be subject to further negotiations. 'Even if we extract oil from Sabah's land, the oil underneath spreads to Indonesian territory. 'That is why such cooperation must exist,' he said, dismissing attacks on this position as misguided. * 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
Daily Express
03-08-2025
- Politics
- Daily Express
Not an inch of Sabah will be given up: PM
Published on: Sunday, August 03, 2025 Published on: Sun, Aug 03, 2025 By: Sherell Jeffrey Text Size: Pic by Bernama KOTA KINABALU: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim ( pic ) assured that Sabah's territorial rights will be protected in ongoing border discussions with Indonesia. Speaking at the closing of Hari Peladang, Penternak dan Nelayan Kebangsaan at SICC, he said the government would not surrender 'even an inch' of the State's sovereignty. He emphasised that Malaysia's cooperation with Indonesia, particularly regarding joint oil ventures, will strictly follow international law while safeguarding national interests. Anwar said the government had invested in international legal efforts to protect Sabah's maritime boundaries and would continue to do so. He also defended his administration's performance in Sabah, highlighting increased federal allocations and special grants compared to previous governments. He commended the State's achievements in agriculture, such as avocado cultivation, crediting strong ties between the federal and state governments under Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor. On a separate note, Anwar said police have completed their investigation into a recent student's death and stressed that justice would be upheld regardless of status. * 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
Daily Express
01-08-2025
- Daily Express
Sabah Education Department refutes transfer claims
Published on: Friday, August 01, 2025 Published on: Fri, Aug 01, 2025 By: Sherell Jeffrey, Hayati Dzulkifli Text Size: 'Not true, it is more towards perception rather than fact,' Raisin told Daily Express. Kota Kinabalu: Sabah Education Director Datuk Raisin Saidin has refuted social media claims that three female students believed implicated in the death of 13-year-old Zara Qairina Mahathir have been transferred to other schools. 'Not true, it is more towards perception rather than fact,' he told Daily Express, Thursday. However, he did not say whether the three are still attending classes at Sekolah Agama Tun Mustapha in Kinarut, or have been suspended. Investigations into the death of the Form One student from Sipitang is ongoing. The victim was believed to have fallen from the third floor the girl's dormitory on July 16, where she was reported to have been found unconscious in a drain near the premises around 3am. She was taken to Queen Elizabeth I Hospital with serious internal injuries, broken limbs and was later declared brain-dead. Her life support was withdrawn on July 17 and she was subsequently buried in her hometown at Kampung Kalamauh Mesapol, Sipitang. Police investigation has involved questioning about 60 individuals, including three female students believed connected to the case. Bullying has not been ruled out as a factor in her death. The Sabah Education Director and Education Minister have assured the public of transparent and impartial investigations. * 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
Daily Express
30-07-2025
- Business
- Daily Express
Sarawak leads on clean energy
Published on: Wednesday, July 30, 2025 Published on: Wed, Jul 30, 2025 By: Sherell Jeffrey Text Size: L/R: Abdul Aziz, Ng and Alia. KUCHING: Sarawak is showing the rest of Malaysia how governments and private sectors can work together to build a cleaner energy future, with the State already securing major partnerships for hydrogen production and green transportation projects. 'The Sarawak Government brings strategic vision, provides the policies, direction and forms the regulatory frameworks, while private sectors bring capital, technology, agility, research and development and innovation,' said Sarawak Economic Development Corporation (SEDC) Chairman Tan Sri Dr Abdul Aziz Husain. 'When these forces are aligned through effective partnerships, the impact can be transformative,' he said at the recent International Energy Week Summit (IEW) 2025 hosted by the Sarawak Energy and Environmental Sustainability Ministry and organised by Informa Markets, a world leading market-making company. Daily Express was among those invited for the event at the Borneo Convention Centre Kuching, here. Abdul Aziz cited Sarawak's strategic partnerships with Japanese companies (Sumitomo Corporation and ENEOS) under Project Hornbill and South Korean companies (Samsung Engineering, Korea National Oil Corporation and Lotte Chemicals) under Project Hibiscus. 'Green hydrogen from these projects will not only cater for our domestic needs, but also exported to foreign markets such as Japan and South Korea in 2030,' he said. He said Sarawak is also constructing the Rembus Hydrogen Production Plant to produce five tons of green hydrogen daily, which will power Sarawak Metro's upcoming Kuching Urban Transportation System using Autonomous Rapid Transit technology. 'Hydrogen refueling stations are being built in major cities including Miri, Bintulu, Sri Aman and Sibu, enabling hydrogen-powered vehicle travel throughout the State. 'These stations will be operated through partnerships where private entities can own the facilities while receiving government support services,' he said. He said partnerships is not just about producing clean energy but also about creating new industries and job opportunities. 'We are not only talking about reducing carbon emission but also about creating new industries, providing or creating new skills and opportunities for future generations in Sarawak. 'SEDC Energy is developing a 15,000 tons per annum Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) pilot plant using two technologies, namely Hydroprocessed Esters and Fatty Acids (HEFA) technology processing crude algae oil, palm oil, milk effluent and used cooking oil in addition to the Fisher crops technology converting zinc gas from biomass or waste into liquid hydrocarbons,' he said. Despite the progress, he acknowledged that clearer government policies and frameworks are needed to encourage more partnerships and better coordination between State and Federal governments for renewable energy exports. One of the biggest challenges in clean energy is that projects require huge upfront investments with uncertain returns. When asked whether Sarawak prefers local or international partners, Abdul Aziz said 'We encourage both.' 'We want to produce hydrogen and maybe methanol and ammonia for exports, because these are required by other countries for their power generation and also for their mobility. 'We would also like to have more private sector partnership locally. For example, waste to energy for our plantations. We have a lot of land here which can be turned into say farming or grass, which can be used for power generation,' he said. He acknowledged the urgency of these partnerships is clear from regional data. 'Since 2023, some 1,300 renewable and energy transition projects have been announced in the Asia-Pacific region, with announcements doubling from 146 in 2023 to 313 in 2024, now surpassing oil and gas sector projects. 'This growth now surpasses oil and gas sector projects, showing that clean energy is becoming the dominant focus for new investments in the region. 'Clean energy transition is not a solo journey. It is a shared responsibility, a shared opportunity,' he said. Ernst & Young Parthenon Malaysia Managing Partner Ng Boon Hui said successful Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) require win-win arrangements with government-backed guarantees to address market risks. 'For investors to come in, because this is a capital extensive technology ... they need to identify the market risk and how do address this funding risk,' he said, adding that the solution often involves the government providing guaranteed buyers for the energy produced. 'You can see all this solar power purchase agreement. There is a partial purchase agreement, 25 years. So, your market risk is addressed with this power purchase agreement. Bank will come and loan you the money. 'This means companies know they will have customers for their clean energy for 25 years, making it easier to get bank loans and convince investors to put money into the project,' he said. 'Malaysia already have our first mega PPP project plus and we have also set up a PPP unit in 2009 and have implemented 513 PPP projects,' he said, pointing out that Malaysia has extensive experience in making these PPPs arrangements work. He noted however that clean energy partnerships require a careful balance of leadership roles. 'Survey data shows that 77 per cent people feel that all this clean energy must be led by the government. 'Led by the government, meaning in the form of clear policy framework and also the infrastructure talent drives the talent agenda. 'From the business side, the private sector play an important role whereby they need to bring in the right technology, perhaps initially from overseas, but there is a need for them also to channel the knowledge to train locals,' said Ng. 'Interestingly, while people expect government leadership, in terms of finance, 70 per cent come from private, meaning most of the actual money for clean energy projects comes from private companies, not government budgets,' he added. One key challenge is developing local expertise to maintain and operate new clean energy technologies. 'All this new technology, the parts, everything is coming from overseas. But how can we also build up our supply chain, SME, promote, groom them,' he said, adding that the solution involves partnerships that include knowledge transfer. 'There is a need for them to channel the knowledge to locals. But this is a chicken and egg story. I want to train locals whether we have the talent or not. That is where the government comes in to try to get the talent in,' he said. New South Wales Trade and Investment Director Alia Jaafar said international partnerships can bring fresh perspectives, citing the Central-West Orana Zone as Australia's first electricity transmission PPP project, which involved a consortium of five Australian companies. 'Our role is more on facilitation, for my role, I engage with the local stakeholders in Malaysia to understand what are the latest policies, what are the opportunities available,' she said. 'These are very important piece of information that will then provide feedback to our companies for them to assess whether Malaysia would be the right fit for their energy transition goals,' she said. She said New South Wales has successfully used partnerships to build renewable energy zones, citing the Central-West Orana Zone, the first electricity transmission PPP project of its kind in Australia. 'The New South Wales state government facilitated this project and we supported a consortium of five companies, private sector players, all from Australia operating in this space. 'If we confine ourselves within our own state, even though our state is big, we would not have that additional value added because we are confined to only what we know, but we do not know what other people know,' she said pointing out how working with international partners brings fresh ideas. * 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
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Daily Express
29-07-2025
- Business
- Daily Express
Measat backs Sabah clean energy
Published on: Tuesday, July 29, 2025 Published on: Tue, Jul 29, 2025 By: Sherell Jeffrey Text Size: As someone born and raised in Sabah, Kenneth who has worked in communications and internet technology for over 30 years felt proud to be part of the IEW 2025 event. Kota Kinabalu: Sabah is getting the support it needs towards reaching its 2030 clean energy target with help from Malaysia East Asia Satellite's (Measat) space-based internet technology which connects and monitors renewable energy projects across the State's hilly terrain. 'Measat's Very Small Aperture Terminal (VSAT) technology has proven effective in reaching remote areas and helps clean energy development in three main ways,' Measat Satellite Systems Sdn Bhd Senior Sales Director Kenneth Yong told Daily Express at the International Energy Week (IEW) 2025 in Kuching. 'First, it provides internet connections to faraway places so that power grids can be managed smartly from a distance. 'Second, it helps coordinate renewable energy projects like solar panel farms and water power plants that are built in remote areas without regular power lines. 'Third, it supports emergency response teams and environmental monitoring systems that are important for keeping energy facilities safe from natural disasters and other problems. 'Our VSAT technology is well-suited for Sabah and Sarawak's challenging terrains, enabling the implementation and management of renewable energy projects in remote locations,' he said, adding that Sabah has huge opportunities in the clean energy sector with abundant renewable energy resources like hydro, solar and geothermal. 'Satellite technology today has gone way past just providing internet connections but also offering solutions that support clean energy, protect the environment and smart infrastructure. 'This means, satellites can now do much more than just provide internet but can help solve environmental and energy problems,' he said. Under the Sabah Energy Roadmap and Master Plan 2040, Sabah aims to get 35 per cent of its electricity from clean energy sources like solar and water power by 2030. Meanwhile, the summit, hosted by the Sarawak Energy and Environmental Sustainability Ministry and organised by Informa Markets, a world leading market-making company, brought together experts to discuss how technologies can transform the energy sector towards sustainability. Daily Express was among those invited for the event held at the Borneo Convention Centre Kuching. As someone born and raised in Sabah, Kenneth who has worked in communications and internet technology for over 30 years felt proud to be part of the IEW 2025 event. 'As a Sabahan, it is personally important to take part in this important dialogue on clean energy and sustainability,' he said, talking about how Measat helps bring internet access to all parts of Borneo. 'Our CONNECTme NOW service is an important backbone, delivering connectivity via high-speed broadband in underserved areas outside the range of fibre internet and towers, connecting rural communities, businesses and energy project site. 'Measat provides fast internet to remote villages, small towns and work sites that cannot get regular internet connections because they are too far from the main internet cables and cell phone towers,' he said. Measat's internet from space and smart device connections have already helped big projects like the Tenom Pangi water power plant in Sabah and the Baleh water power project in Sarawak, allowing construction workers to stay connected to the internet even in faraway places where there are no phone lines or internet cables. Sabah has one of Asia's biggest protected forests, covering 3.5 million hectares, which Kenneth thinks is very important because trees absorb carbon dioxide and help fight climate change. 'I believe this will position Sabah as a leader in sustainable energy,' he said. Besides energy projects, Measat has shown its dedication to helping Sabah grow in an environmentally-friendly way through various community and nature protection programmes. 'Measat provided free broadband internet services to flood victims in Membakut, Beaufort and Keningau, facilitating relief and evacuation efforts,' Kenneth said. The Sabah Forestry Department, Sabah Parks, Sabah Wildlife Department and Danau Girang Field Centre use Measat's CONNECTme internet services to help with forest protection and animal research work in forests, wildlife areas and islands. 'This work helps protect natural resources that are important for creating clean energy in the long run,' he said. In healthcare, Measat has teamed up with Mudah Health Tech on the Sihat Xpress telehealth kiosk programme which aims to bring medical services to up to one million people who do not have access to doctors or hospitals through digital technology. He said Sabah is expected to make up a big portion of the people who will benefit from this programme because it has many rural villages and people there often have trouble getting to healthcare facilities. A test run of the programme in Kampung Togop Darat 1, Ranau showed that almost half of the villagers who got health check-ups had high blood pressure or were close to having high blood pressure, proving how important it is to make health screenings easily available in remote areas. 'We are working closely with the healthcare authorities to identify areas with the most need for telehealth services to ensure more Sabahans can benefit in the quickest timeframe by simultaneously installing CONNECTme and telehealth services in areas that do not have internet services,' he said. He also said satellite communications had evolved with the entry of global players like Starlink. 'As an authorised Starlink reseller, Measat offers multi-orbit satellite solutions combining geostationary orbit and low Earth orbit capabilities to support government-linked digital initiatives, enterprise needs and remote operations. 'Measat views Starlink as a complement to Malaysia's broader connectivity ecosystem and as an authorised Starlink reseller, we believe multiple technologies are needed to bridge the digital divide effectively,' he said. He said Measat also plans expand satellite technology use in Sabah through smart farming (using satellites to monitor crops and plantations), better energy management (using satellite data to predict electricity needs) and environmental monitoring (tracking illegal logging and measuring pollution for carbon credit programmes). * 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
