KOTA KINABALU 11/10/2012: Expediting the issuance of construction permit would encourage the private sector to implement more development projects in the country.
Therefore, Sabah state secretary Tan Sri Sukarti Wakiman urged the relevant authorities in the state to improve their services by cutting down red tapes and other elements that could delay the process of issuing construction permit.
MP BN beri bayangan: 'Ada ubi, ada batas'
"Ada ubi ada batas, ada budi boleh balas," kata Siringan Gubat (BN-Ranau) dalam ucapannya ketika membahaskan Rang Undang-undang Perbekalan 2013 di Dewan Rakyat hari ini.
Beliau menambah, pantunnya itu ada kena mengena dengan pilihan raya umum akan datang.
Pairin hopeful of more funding from KL
KENINGAU September 18, 2012: Deputy Chief Minister Tan Sri Joseph Pairin Kitingan is expecting Sabah to be provided with more funding from the Federal government in the 2013 Budget.
“Sabah still requires a lot of financial allocation, particularly for the development of rural areas which are still lagging behind in terms of infrastructure,”
Putrajaya dared to form RCI on progress in Sabah, Sarawak
KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 16 — A royal commission of inquiry (RCI) is needed to see if Sabah and Sarawak’s “dreams and aspirations” in forming Malaysia with Malaya 49 years ago has been “fulfilled or betrayed”, Lim Kit Siang said today.
The DAP parliamentary leader called for all MPs from Sabah and Sarawak to give their unanimous support when he proposes such an RCI in the next Parliamentary sitting.
“The people of Sarawak and Sabah were promised progress and development, at least to the level achieved by the Peninsula states,”
What happens when our oil wells run dry?
The stark reality is - the boom time for Malaysia – is over, but it is not all doom and gloom.
September 12, 2012: For decades, oil and gas (O&G) has been our country’s main revenue contributor. In the past, new discoveries propelled our oil production which peaked in the mid-1990s, whereas the recent high fuel prices resulted in good cash flow into the Malaysian treasury.
However, will oil which made Malaysia relatively wealthy continue to gush from our wells?
The stark reality is – the boom time for Malaysia – is over. Let me share the reasons why. Most if not all of the economically attractive fields have been found and developed. Our new discoveries are smaller, more technically demanding, and require more intensive capital investment.
Dr Mahathir’s statement riles Masing
KUCHING September 10, 2012: Land Development Minister Tan Sri Dr James Masing has questioned the rationale in asking the people of Sabah and Sarawak to remain patient for development projects to be implemented, considering that the states are major oil and gas producers in the country.
Masing, who is Baleh assemblyman, was not impressed with the recent statement by former premier Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad that people of the two states should be patient for natural resources to be extracted and the fruit of foreign investments to materialise before they can experience the same tempo of development as their counterparts in the Peninsula.
Oil-rich Sabah still the poorest
Sarawak and Sabah have been giving away oil for decades yet both share the 'honour' of being poor states.
September 7, 2012: The oil royalty re-negotiations which both Sabah and Sarawak chief ministers have suddenly agreed to would have to take into account history and the actual numbers earned by Petronas and the federal government.
It is vital that the leaders go into these discussions with Putrajaya knowing the true facts of the agreement and the events leading up to how both states were “coerced” into signing the agreements.
If I recall correctly, Sarawak commenced its oil production in the early 1900s. Sabah has been producing oil for 30 years now.
Petronas to pay RM30b dividend despite uncertain profits
A continued slide in Petronas profits will put a damper on government’s ability to spend. — File pic
KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 7 ― Petronas, previously described as Putrajaya’s “piggy bank”, said today it will pay the government RM30 billion in dividends this year despite falling profits and a challenging outlook.
The amount will likely make up more than a third of the state oil company’s net profit, after it said today that it may struggle to hit RM90 billion in pre-tax profit for the year.
Petronas chief executive Tan Sri Shamsul Azhar Abbas said, however, that there is an understanding with the Ministry of Finance that dividends will be capped at 30 per cent of profit starting next year.
Any Sabah oil royalty should be at least 20pc
They should and must be made accountable for their actions and decisions.
All the economic progressive countries in the world, without exception, have a 2-party system or in the case of more than 2 parties, a bi-partisan system like in UK. The bottom-line reality is that no political leaders, left to their own devises, can be trusted in the long run without a rigorous system to ensure their good behaviour.
Voters should be on "high alert" when they start to say "trust us, don't trust them" or "we are the best for you" without saying anything specific.
Petronas mahu menghentikan pembayaran subsidi gas, malah sejak tahun lepas mahu membayar dividen yang lebih rendah!
July 18, 2012: Pada awal bulan Jun baru-baru ini, Petronas secara tidak langsung telah menyatakan hasratnya di Persidangan Gas Se-Dunia bahawa perbadanan multinasional terbesar negara ini sudah tidak sanggup lagi untuk menjadi seperti kilang pencetak wang kerajaan Malaysia. Petronas mahu menghentikan pembayaran subsidi gas, malah sejak tahun lepas, Petronas mahu membayar dividen yang lebih rendah!
Adakah Petronas seperti si Tanggang? Hasil wang minyak dan gas adalah milik rakyat dan juga amanah kerajaan.
‘Stop the blame game’ over 1994 incident
June 30, 2012: The future of the Kadazandusuns in Sabah looks gloomy. The number of committed and issue-oriented Kadazandusun leaders is very limited.
We are supposed to elect leaders to represent us and solve our problems but we have ended up seeing them fighting each other for money and position.
Sabah deserves both higher oil royalty and federal allocation – SAPP
KOTA KINABALU Feb 15, 2012: Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) Women’s chief Melanie Chia has expressed disappointment at the statement by Sabah Barisan Nasional (BN) secretary Datuk Abdul Rahman Dahlan that the federal allocation to Sabah will likely be cut if Pakatan Rakyat forms the government and increases the oil royalty for the state.
The Luyang assemblywoman said it is a mockery that Sabah BN failed to understand what is oil royalty.
“Instead of supporting the call to increase the oil royalty for Sabah, BN Sabah still wants to confuse the people by comparing oil royalty to development funds from the Federal Government,” she said in a statement yesterday.
Ranau Meteorological Station To Start Operations In January
RANAU, Nov 7 (Bernama) -- The Ranau Meteorological station, expected to be operational in January, will be an important addition to Sabah's meteorological infrastructure, especially for inland meteorological data.
Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Datuk Seri Dr Maximus Ongkili said this was particularly, in light of the agricultural development in Ranau, the state's largest producer of highland vegetables and noted for its hilly geographical structure.
Pusat diminta naiktaraf jalan dari Sipitang ke Kota Kinabalu
KOTA KINABALU 20th Oct, 2011: Kerajaan Persekutuan diminta menimbang secara serius menaik taraf jalan dari Sipitang ke Kota Kinabalu sejauh 200 kilometer menjadi lebuh raya empat lorong, iaitu dua lorong sehala.
Ahli Parlimen Sipitang, Datuk Sapawi Ahmad ketika membuat saranan itu berkata langkah itu penting bukan saja untuk manfaat penduduk di kawasan pantai barat Sabah, tetapi juga bagi kemudahan pelabur yang kini mulai tertumpu di kawasan berkenaan.
Women end sex strike in remote Colombian town
BOGOTA, COLOMBIA - The women of the Colombian town of Barbacoas have declared their sex strike over.
It is not clear how many women took part, and compliance is impossible to prove. But the women of the remote southwestern town say their demand for a road was met.
They announced June 22 that they would deny their partners sex until authorities began paving a 35-mile (57-kilometer) road linking the town of 35,000 people with the provincial capital of Pasto.
Army engineers began work Tuesday. The paved road will cut travel time by at least six hours.
Barbacoas Mayor Jose Arnulfo Preciado tells The Associated Press he'll happily submit to a polygraph to prove the protest was honored. He says his wife slept in a separate room during the strike.
Najib umum bajet p'raya bela rakyat
Okt 7 2011 : Perdana Menteri Datuk Seri Najib Razak hari ini membentangkan Belanjawan 2012, belanjawan yang kedua di bawah tempoh pelan pembangunan lima tahun Rancangan Malaysia ke-10 (RMK10).
Berpakaian baju Melayu merah hati, Najib yang juga menteri kewangan mula berucap pada pukul 4 petang di Dewan Rakyat dengan tema "Belanjawan Transformasi: Membela Rakyat, Mensejahtera Negara".
Hoping Beluran will get two MP seats
This is apart from creating another additional state constituency, which will see the state seats in Beluran increased to three, especially in Sugut area.
Beluran parliamentary constituency presently consists of Sugut and Labuk state consttuencies.
Beluran Umno vice chief Mahmud AG Hussin said at his Hari Raya open house in Kionsom Height, Inanam, Sunday, that these are the wishes of the rakyat in Sugut.
Sabah PKR also sees need to increase seats
Kota Kinabalu September 04 2011: Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) agrees with Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) that there is a need for the Election Commission (EC) to increase the number of parliamentary and state seats in Sabah.
Its Kota Kinabalu chairperson, Christina Liew, said, however, that any proposed increase in parliamentary and state seats in the State should be made public by the EC for the people, particularly constituents, to comment and give their feedback before it is implemented.
"It (any proposed increase/additional number of seats) should be opened to the public, especially the constituents, to comment and give feedback, to be fair to all,"
RM60bil Petronas project will fuel massive spin-offs, says PM
KUALA LUMPUR: Petronas will invest in a major RM60bil integrated refinery and petrochemical complex in Pengerang, Johor, touted to be its largest.
To be known as the Refinery and Petrochemicals Integrated Development (Rapid) project, it is is expected to be commissioned by the end of 2016, as part of the national oil company's efforts to expand its downstream production.
In appreciation: Najib receiving the logo of the Refinery and Petrochemicals Integrated Development (Rapid) project from Petronas president and CEO Datuk Shamsul Azhar Abbas after his announcement at the Petronas headquarters in Kuala Lumpur yesterday. – AZHAR MAHFOF/The Star
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak confirmed this, following aStarBiz breaking news story on Wednesday.
The mammoth project is expected to create at least 20,000 jobs during the construction phase and 4,000 potential jobs for highly-skilled workers.
This does not include the many spin-offs in related sectors, Najib said when announcing the project at the Petronas headquarters here yesterday.
“It is truly a remarkable initiative and a significant landmark for Malaysia. The project presents Malaysia with a major vehicle to attract foreign direct investments, bolster private investment and expand the country's access to world-class technologies.
“It will also provide avenues for a new generation of technical professionals to develop their skills and capabilities,” he said, adding that the Government would provide its full support and assistance.
The Rapid project, Najib said, would consist of three main components:
> A crude oil refinery with a capacity of about 300,000 barrels per day, larger than the combined capacities of its refineries in Malacca and Kerteh.
> A naphtha cracker with the ability to produce three million tonnes of ethylene, propylene as well as C4 and C5 olefins; and
> A joint petrochemical development with a combined production capacity of three million tonnes per year, more than the combined production capacities of its integrated complexes in Kerteh and Gebeng, Pahang.
Najib, who is also Finance Minister, said although the Rapid project was not part of the entry point projects under the Economic Transformation Programme, it was still in line with plans to turn Malaysia into a leading petroleum industry hub in the region.
The area, Najib said, was chosen because of its large land acreage, strategic location near major international shipping lanes, deepwater port facilities and proximity to regional demand centres.
Oil, Gas Industrial Park in Sipitang
April 1, 2011, Friday KOTA KINABALU: Plans are afoot to build an oil and gas industrial park in Sipitang that is expected to create more than 34,000 jobs and contribute more than RM10 billion to the State GDP, according to Industrial Development Minister Datuk Raymond Tan.
The State Government has identified an area with the ideal attributes and logistics for developing the Sipitang Oil and Gas Industrial Park (SOGIP), Tan said at the launch of the first annual Deepwater Offshore Conference & Exhibition World Asia 2011 at Nexus Resort Karambunai yesterday.
“The industries expected to be placed in SOGIP when it is fully developed will contribute greatly to the GDP of Sabah about RM10.62 billion or about 36.61 percent of the current GDP of Sabah at RM29 billion,” he said.
About 34,350 jobs will be created directly or indirectly by the industries, he added.
Tan said Malaysia has targeted Gross National Income (GNI) growth of 5.9 percent per annum and achieving this economic growth is expected to raise consumption by 3 percent, which will have a knock-on effect on the oil, gas and energy sector.
He said the increased consumption will require an additional two gigawatts of installed capacity to be built at a cost of RM9.6 billion, creating an estimated 2,500 jobs and adding RM11.2 billion to GNI.
“The additional transmission and distribution of this energy will create a further RM5.6 billion in GNI and require an investment of RM12.4 billion.
“In the downstream sector this increased consumption will boost GNI by RM1.5 billion and create 3,200 jobs. An estimated 90 new petrol stations will also need to be built at a total cost of RM3.2 billion.
“The most important enabler to ensure the successful realisation of the mentioned business opportunities is adequate supply of qualified domestic human capital.
“The government has to increase the supply of graduates in the next decade to staff the approximately 21,000 new jobs created at or above graduate level by 2020,” he said.
Tan added it is an exciting time for the oil and gas industry in Malaysia, since Sabah has 11 trillion cubic feet of gas and 1.5 billion barrels of oil in reserves.
It has been announced at the convocation of the Institut Teknologi Petroleum Petronas (Instep) here recently that Petronas will build a training school in Kimanis in two years. About 7,000 have graduated from Instep as skilled petroleum technicians and engineers since its inception in 1988.
