Latest news with #SOGDC
Daily Express
3 hours ago
- Business
- Daily Express
Sabah O&G reform rooted in restructuring: Chia
Published on: Sunday, July 13, 2025 Published on: Sun, Jul 13, 2025 Text Size: KOTA KINABALU: Political Secretary to the Chief Minister, Datuk Dr Roland Chia ( pic ), has dismissed recent remarks by former SOGDC CEO Abdul Kadir Abdullah Damsal, saying they misrepresent Sabah's current oil and gas progress. He said Sabah International Petroleum (SIP) was in financial distress before the GRS administration restructured it to safeguard state interests and create SMJ Energy (SMJE) to deliver long-term value. Chia added that the Sipitang Oil and Gas Industrial Park (Sogip) is now gaining investor confidence, with a major RM31 billion commitment from Esteel Enterprise Sdn Bhd highlighting the shift. He noted that since the Commercial Collaboration Agreement (CCA), SMJE has secured equity in key oil and gas blocks, while Sabah Energy Corporation (SEC) has obtained onshore gas distribution rights and over RM2 billion in contracts awarded to Sabah-based firms this year alone. Responding to claims regarding SMJE's absence from a recent oil and gas bid, Chia clarified that Datuk Seri Masidi Manjun's State Assembly response was factual and not a personal attack, stressing that Sabah's energy institutions are now empowered and led by Sabahans. * 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
Borneo Post
5 hours ago
- Business
- Borneo Post
Sabah's oil and gas gains built on reforms, not rhetoric — Dr Roland
Dr Roland KOTA KINABALU (July 13): The Sabah government's progress in the oil and gas sector is grounded in facts and meaningful reforms, not political rhetoric, said Datuk Dr Roland Chia, Political Secretary to the Chief Minister. Responding to recent remarks by former Sabah Oil and Gas Development Corporation (SOGDC) CEO Abdul Kadir Abdullah Damsal, Dr Roland said the statement distorted reality and overlooked a prolonged period of stagnation under the latter's leadership. 'The recent statement by former SOGDC CEO misrepresents the facts and conveniently glosses over a time of inertia during his own tenure,' said Dr Roland in a statement on Sunday. 'Let's be clear: Sabah International Petroleum (SIP) was in financial distress before it was restructured by the current government. The GRS administration's intervention wasn't just symbolic — it was critical for safeguarding Sabah's financial position and reclaiming control over key energy assets,' he said. Dr Roland noted that SMJ Energy (SMJE) was established to address past structural failures, consolidate state energy interests, enter direct upstream participation, and deliver tangible benefits to the people. 'Under the present administration, the Sipitang Oil & Gas Industrial Park (SOGIP) has gained investor confidence, with Esteel Enterprise Sdn Bhd's RM31 billion investment being a standout example,' he said. He added that the results following the signing of the Commercial Collaboration Agreement (CCA) speak volumes. 'SMJE now holds equity in major oil and gas blocks. Sabah Energy Corporation (SEC) has secured onshore gas distribution rights — a historic milestone. In 2024 alone, RM2 billion in contracts were awarded to Sabah-based companies, many of which are now expanding operations beyond the state,' he said. 'These are not just numbers — they represent real jobs and real economic growth for Sabahans,' Dr Roland stressed. Acknowledging Sabah's longstanding contribution to Malaysia's oil and gas industry, he said the current administration has brought genuine institutional empowerment to the state. 'SMJE and SEC are no longer passive entities. They are now key players, with Sabahans taking the lead — not by chance, but through strategic state action,' he said. Addressing claims surrounding State Finance Minister Datuk Seri Masidi Manjun's remarks in the State Assembly, Dr Roland clarified that they were made in direct response to a question by Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal regarding SMJE's non-participation in an East Coast exploratory bid. 'To twist that context into a personal attack is not only misleading but a deliberate attempt to politicise a factual explanation,' he said. He urged all parties to stay focused on the real, measurable progress made under the GRS government rather than engage in distortions that undermine public trust.
Borneo Post
a day ago
- Business
- Borneo Post
Former SOGDC CEO refutes Masidi's claims on Sabah oil and gas progress
Abdul Kadir Abdullah Damsal KOTA KINABALU (July 12): A former senior figure in Sabah's oil and gas industry has pushed back against recent remarks by Finance Minister Datuk Seri Masidi Manjun, calling him 'misleading' and lacking historical context in relation to the state's petroleum development. In a press statement, former Chief Executive Officer of Sabah Oil and Gas Development Corporation Sdn Bhd (SOGDC) Abdul Kadir Abdullah Damsal and a practising lawyer questioned Masidi's claim that Sabah's oil and gas sector only began to evolve following the establishment of SMJ Energy (SMJE) in 2021. Abdul Kadir asserted that long before SMJE came into the picture, several state-linked companies had already been actively involved in the industry. These included Sabah Energy Corporation (SEC), Sabah International Petroleum (SIP), subsidiaries under Yayasan Sabah and SOGDC itself. He credited much of the earlier momentum to the then-Barisan Nasional (BN) administration, noting that Petronas had, under a period of political stability, launched the Sabah Integrated Oil and Gas Project (SIOGP) in 2014, an initiative involving investments totalling nearly RM54 billion. 'These projects laid the foundation for Sabah's current oil and gas infrastructure, created thousands of jobs and supported local engineering and service firms,' he said. He also pointed to the formation of a Joint Working Committee (JWC) between the State Government and Petronas, which he said facilitated increased gas allocations to Sabah and significantly boosted local capacity development, including the appointment of a Sabahan as CEO of Petronas' Sabah Ammonia Urea (SAMUR) plant. 'Contrary to recent claims, the industry was not dormant prior to the formation of SMJE. Sabahans have long played a critical role in the oil and gas sector, without resorting to political pressure on local entities such as SAMUR,' he said. Abdul Kadir also cast doubt on the claim that Sabah-based oil and gas firms secured RM2 billion worth of Petronas contracts in 2024, suggesting the figure could be misleading without proper breakdown. 'The contracts may not necessarily have been awarded within Sabah alone and the public deserves clarity on how much actually went to genuinely Sabahan-owned firms,' he added. Touching on SMJE's reported RM362 million profit in 2024, Abdul Kadir clarified that the figure represented group earnings, not solely derived from its upstream interest in the Samarang field. 'A significant portion of that profit came from SIP's 10 per cent equity in LNG Train 9 in Bintulu, a deal initiated during the BN administration and finalised under Warisan,' he explained. He went on to highlight that other state-owned entities including Suria Capital, Sawit Kinabalu and Qhazanah Sabah, have long operated as billion-ringgit asset-based companies, stressing that SMJE's growth should not be portrayed as an isolated success story. Abdul Kadir concluded by urging the State Government to present a more accurate narrative to the public. 'Sabahans deserve the truth, not exaggerated claims or selectively curated retellings of the state's economic journey,' he concluded.
The Star
a day ago
- Business
- The Star
Former top state oil official disputes Masidi's claims on SMJ Energy's role
KOTA KINABALU: An ex-top Sabah oil and gas official has disputed claims by state Finance Minister Datuk Seri Masidi Manjun ( pic ) about the state's petroleum development timeline, calling them 'misleading' and lacking historical context. Former Sabah Oil & Gas Development Corporation Sdn Bhd (SOGDC) chief executive officer Abdul Kadir Abdullah Damsal said it was inaccurate to suggest that Sabah's oil and gas industry only began to evolve with the establishment of SMJ Energy (SMJE) in 2021. He highlighted that several government-linked companies (GLCs), including Sabah Energy Corporation (SEC), Sabah International Petroleum (SIP), Yayasan Sabah subsidiaries and SOGDC itself, were actively involved in the sector well before SMJE was formed. Abdul Kadir, who is also a practising lawyer, credited past progress to the previous Barisan Nasional government, saying that PETRONAS launched the Sabah Integrated Oil and Gas Project (SIOGP) in 2014 during a time of political stability, with investments totalling nearly RM54bil. 'These projects laid the foundation for Sabah's current oil and gas infrastructure, creating thousands of jobs and supporting local engineering and service firms,' he said in a statement on Saturday (July 12). He also mentioned the establishment of the Joint Working Committee between Sabah and PETRONAS, which he said led to more gas being allocated to the state and efforts to build local capacity, such as appointing a Sabahan as the chief executive officer of the PETRONAS' SAMUR plant. 'Contrary to recent claims, the industry was not dormant before SMJE. Sabahans have long played important roles in oil and gas operations, without needing to apply political pressure to so-called 'Sabahan entities' like SAMUR,' he added. Abdul Kadir further questioned recent statements that Sabah-based oil and gas firms received RM2bil worth of PETRONAS contracts in 2024. He said this figure could be misleading without a proper breakdown and called for clarity on how much was actually awarded to locally owned Sabah firms. On SMJE's reported RM362mil profit in 2024, he claimed this was a group figure, and not solely due to SMJE's upstream involvement in Samarang. Instead, he said much of the profit came from SIP's 10% equity in LNG Train 9 in Bintulu, a deal initiated under the Barisan administration and signed during Parti Warisan's time in power. He also said that other state-owned companies such as Suria Capital, Sawit Kinabalu and Qhazanah Sabah have long operated as billion-ringgit asset-backed firms, and urged that SMJE's growth not be portrayed as a standalone success story. Abdul Kadir also called on the state government to provide a more accurate narrative to the public. 'Sabahans deserve the truth, not exaggerated claims or selective retelling of the state's economic development,' he said.
Borneo Post
12-06-2025
- Business
- Borneo Post
Petronas to make major announcements at SOGCE
Harun (third left) with Dolly (third right) inviting the public to attend SOGCE 2025. KOTA KINABALU (June 12): Petronas is expected to make several major announcements during the 12th Sabah Oil, Gas & Energy Conference & Exhibition (SOGCE), said Sabah Oil & Gas Development Corporation (SOGDC) chief executive officer Datuk Harun Ismail. 'I believe this year's SOGCE will be a very important event because I've heard that Petronas is planning to make significant announcements there,' Harun said at a press conference held at the SOGDC office in Wisma Innoprise today. He added that there may be two or three announcements by Malaysia Petroleum Management (MPM) senior vice president Datuk Ir Bacho Pilong. 'I'm not sure what the announcements will be, but I understand they will be good news for Sabah,' he said. SOGCE 2025 is scheduled to take place from July 3 to 4 at the Sabah International Convention Centre, with the theme 'Fostering Collaboration, Paving Sustainable Opportunities.' The annual event is the only oil, gas, and energy-focused conference and exhibition held in Sabah, bringing together industry leaders, policymakers, and stakeholders. Organising chairperson Dolly Jimayol said the conference will span one and a half days and feature high-level discussions, including on sustainability pathways and the emerging blue economy. She added that the exhibition will run concurrently, showcasing innovations and technologies from 90 local and international companies in the energy sector. 'This year's SOGCE remains a platform for business matching, learningnand industry collaboration,' Dolly said. 'We will also host youth engagement programmes and B2B meeting platforms.' 'SOGCE isn't just a business event — it's a catalyst for Sabah's economic development. We urge local oil and gas services and equipment (OGSE) companies, SMEs, youth, university and secondary school students, and the public to attend,' she added.
