Source : New Sabah Times 12/05/2010
SIBU: A vote for Barisan Nasional (BN) candidate Robert Lau Hui Yew in the Sibu by-election is a vote of support for the good leadership of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, said Deputy Information, Communication and Culture Minister Datuk Joseph Salang Gandum.
He said the by-election on May 16 was yet another opportunity for Sarawak longhouse folks to express their support for Najib. Salang said this at a “meet-the-people” session at the Rh. James Sembilan Guang longhouse in Bawang Assan near here Monday night.
He said Najib deserved all the support he needed as he was still in the process of transforming the government and the country. Najib was also trying to change the country into a high income society from its current middle income status, he said, adding that longhouse folks should not allow themselves to be easily swayed by the opposition’s instigations and promises as they did not have any concrete programmes to help them.
He thus advised Sibu voters to turn out in full force on polling day (May 16) to cast their votes and give the BN a resounding victory.
Meanwhile, Salang said the government would look into improving communication links in the Bawang Assan area.
“We may set up a community broadband centre and “wifi” village in the SMK Bawang Assan for instance,”he said, adding that they were required as the area now had a sizeable population with eight longhouses and two schools. The Sibu by-election is seeing a three-way fight between Lau, the DAP’s Wong Ho Leng and independent candidate Narawi Haron.
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Logical to develop oil-gas sector in Sabah: Dompok
Source : Daily Express 10/05/2010
KINARUT: Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman's announcement on the plan to develop Kimanis and Sipitang into oil and gas towns reciprocates the Federal Government's strong commitment to develop the industry in Sabah.
Plantation Industries and Commodity Minister Tan Sri Bernard Dompok said he supported the State Government's move as announced by Musa at the First Borneo International Oil and Gas Conference on Friday.
"I think this is a good move because there is no reason why we should not utilise the resources that we have," he said, when met at the Montfort Youth Training Centre (MYTC), Sunday.
Dompok, who is also United Pasok Momogun Kadazandusun Murut Organisation (Upko) President said in fact the Federal Cabinet had made a decision that reflected its commitment to develop Sabah's oil and gas industry.
He explained that he had raised his objection to the Kimanis-Bintulu gas pipeline project in the Federal Cabinet meeting when Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi was the Prime Minister.
The Cabinet decision then was that it was not necessary to stop the gas pipeline project but at the same time, it also instructed Petronas to give priority to Sabah if the State required the resources, he said.
"There was a guarantee that no gas will be transported to Bintulu through the gas line if there (gas) is a need here so therefore the State Government will have to look at the infrastructure for the utilisation of gas," he said.
Dompok who in the previous Federal Cabinet was a Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Department who was placed in charge of Petronas said furthermore, there is a lot of people in Sabah who are interested to venture into the oil and gas industry.
"My own little discussion with the (local) people in the oil and gas industry (showed) there's very little gas that can be exported because it is actually (more) needed here," he said.
Firstly, he said gas is needed for power generation in Sabah, hence little gas could be exported and it was for this reason he had expressed his view to the Federal Cabinet that perhaps the gas pipeline should not be completed.
"But if Petronas wants to go ahead with it then they must have their reasons É but when Sabah needs the gas they (Petronas) must not export.
I think that is the undertaking," he said.
Secondly, he said Petronas had been asked by the Federal Cabinet to write a Letter of Commitment to the State Government on this matter, which he believed had been already been received by the State Government "a while ago".
Dompok said the opposition had been banging him on the matter but he had raised the issue at the Federal level and was glad that there was an assurance of giving priority to Sabah needs in respect of exporting gas.
Towards this end, he said the Federal Government was very committed to assist if Sabah wants to use its gas resources itself but that the State Government needs to follow through on it.
According to him, the decision had also been documented.
KINARUT: Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman's announcement on the plan to develop Kimanis and Sipitang into oil and gas towns reciprocates the Federal Government's strong commitment to develop the industry in Sabah.
Plantation Industries and Commodity Minister Tan Sri Bernard Dompok said he supported the State Government's move as announced by Musa at the First Borneo International Oil and Gas Conference on Friday.
"I think this is a good move because there is no reason why we should not utilise the resources that we have," he said, when met at the Montfort Youth Training Centre (MYTC), Sunday.
Dompok, who is also United Pasok Momogun Kadazandusun Murut Organisation (Upko) President said in fact the Federal Cabinet had made a decision that reflected its commitment to develop Sabah's oil and gas industry.
He explained that he had raised his objection to the Kimanis-Bintulu gas pipeline project in the Federal Cabinet meeting when Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi was the Prime Minister.
The Cabinet decision then was that it was not necessary to stop the gas pipeline project but at the same time, it also instructed Petronas to give priority to Sabah if the State required the resources, he said.
"There was a guarantee that no gas will be transported to Bintulu through the gas line if there (gas) is a need here so therefore the State Government will have to look at the infrastructure for the utilisation of gas," he said.
Dompok who in the previous Federal Cabinet was a Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Department who was placed in charge of Petronas said furthermore, there is a lot of people in Sabah who are interested to venture into the oil and gas industry.
"My own little discussion with the (local) people in the oil and gas industry (showed) there's very little gas that can be exported because it is actually (more) needed here," he said.
Firstly, he said gas is needed for power generation in Sabah, hence little gas could be exported and it was for this reason he had expressed his view to the Federal Cabinet that perhaps the gas pipeline should not be completed.
"But if Petronas wants to go ahead with it then they must have their reasons É but when Sabah needs the gas they (Petronas) must not export.
I think that is the undertaking," he said.
Secondly, he said Petronas had been asked by the Federal Cabinet to write a Letter of Commitment to the State Government on this matter, which he believed had been already been received by the State Government "a while ago".
Dompok said the opposition had been banging him on the matter but he had raised the issue at the Federal level and was glad that there was an assurance of giving priority to Sabah needs in respect of exporting gas.
Towards this end, he said the Federal Government was very committed to assist if Sabah wants to use its gas resources itself but that the State Government needs to follow through on it.
According to him, the decision had also been documented.
A complicated matter, says Jeffrey
Source : Daily Express 12/05/2010
Kota Kinabalu: The Government is now in a tight corner from which it must answer all the hard questions raised by SAPP on the petroleum blocks issue, claims Chairman of Common Interest Group, Malaysia, Datuk Dr Jeffrey Kitingan.
He said SAPP had made a highly detailed and strong, multi-pronged presentation on the issue of Block L and M.
"It is no longer a simple matter of technicalities as Datuk Dr Marcus Mojigoh claimed. It is obviously a complicated matter, now that the cat has got out of the bag,"
The government should open the matter to the public by telling the whole truth and also decide whether it wants to pursue our state rights, he said in a statement, Tuesday.
"If the government insists on dilly-dallying in its answers, and denying that something serious had happened, it will continue to cause more confusion among the people."
"If the former Prime Minister is really concerned about our national interests he would realise that it is not just a matter of territorial sovereignty or oil alone. There are also nagging questions such as why was such an important deal involving national interests rushed through," said Jeffrey.
"Was a third party involved? And why is the State Government not showing any concern on the matter?" he asked.
"And what about the state leaders in the Federal Cabinet?
What is their stand on the matter? I hope that Mojigoh's attitude doesn't reflect the overall stand of our Members of Parliament," he said.
Kota Kinabalu: The Government is now in a tight corner from which it must answer all the hard questions raised by SAPP on the petroleum blocks issue, claims Chairman of Common Interest Group, Malaysia, Datuk Dr Jeffrey Kitingan.
He said SAPP had made a highly detailed and strong, multi-pronged presentation on the issue of Block L and M.
"It is no longer a simple matter of technicalities as Datuk Dr Marcus Mojigoh claimed. It is obviously a complicated matter, now that the cat has got out of the bag,"
The government should open the matter to the public by telling the whole truth and also decide whether it wants to pursue our state rights, he said in a statement, Tuesday.
"If the government insists on dilly-dallying in its answers, and denying that something serious had happened, it will continue to cause more confusion among the people."
"If the former Prime Minister is really concerned about our national interests he would realise that it is not just a matter of territorial sovereignty or oil alone. There are also nagging questions such as why was such an important deal involving national interests rushed through," said Jeffrey.
"Was a third party involved? And why is the State Government not showing any concern on the matter?" he asked.
"And what about the state leaders in the Federal Cabinet?
What is their stand on the matter? I hope that Mojigoh's attitude doesn't reflect the overall stand of our Members of Parliament," he said.
Wait for the Dewan debate, says Mojigoh
Source : Daily Express 12/05/2010
Kota Kinabalu: Putatan MP Datuk Dr Marcus Mojigoh believes the Brunei border petroleum blocks issue will be debated well when Parliament convenes on June 7 and that it will be his first question to the Government.
"Be patient, the Government will have its full explanation on this," he said, in response to SAPP President Datuk Yong Teck Lee's insistence that the two blocks had been ceded to Brunei.
Alternatively, he said Yong's Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) should produce evidence that there are government documents stating Blocks L and M were actually within Sabah waters.
"Show the people these documents because SAPP is actually implying that the State Attorney-General had made a misleading statement," said Mojigoh.
He said SAPP was also implying that the State A-G was not telling the truth or hiding something when telling Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman that no Sabah area was ceded.
Mojigoh said Yong, as a former Chief Minister, should know this well.
"I appreciate Yong's statement. The question of (me) boasting does not arise and I think the word (used by Yong to refer to his statement) is a bit harsh for a gentleman," he said, Tuesday.
Mojigoh, who is Upko Treasurer General, said Yong should show any form of document that state Block L and M were within the maritime boundary in reference to Sabah within Malaysia apart from just talking about historical events.
"All we know is that those letters of exchange and related documents never say that these two blocks are within Sabah territory," he said.
Towards this end, Mojigoh said Yong was running away from the main issue that he had raised. "If Yong could not produce the document then the people would think he is lying."
Mojigoh also disputed Yong's contention that Murphy Sabah Oil Ltd is only operating within Sabah and that Yong must also not confuse the people by dragging Sipadan Ligitan and Layang Layang Atoll into the fray because the issues were totally different from the oil blocks.
"They are landed areas, which by customary are ours.
"Blocks L and M are purely watered areas ... no island there," he said, adding it cannot be denied that Malaysia has an operating right there not because they appeared to be part of Limbang's interest but because of Malaysia's prevailing cordial relationship with Brunei.
Mojigoh said what Yong should be calling for is for both governments to finalise the maritime demarcation and not harp on the sentiment of the Sabah people as if the Federal Government could anytime give away their land to outsiders at the whim and fancies of the Prime Minister.
"It is very dangerous and not good," he said.
In this respect, his earlier statement, he said, was actually telling Yong and Datuk Dr Jeffrey Kitingan that they were barking up the wrong tree.
"Let us not be drowned by our emotion ... let's look at the real issues by looking at the matters positively.
There are more pressing issues like the finalisation of our maritime boundary ... these issues need immediate solution," he said.
He said it was for this reason that he "threw the rope of friendship to certain friends who might have gone off line (course) to scramble back to the platform of discussion" instead of making wild allegations as if the government had committed a deadly sin.
"Don't say that Sabah MPs have no heart for Sabah, don't insult us," he said, while agreeing that Malaysians in Sabah have every right to be concerned about the matter.
Kota Kinabalu: Putatan MP Datuk Dr Marcus Mojigoh believes the Brunei border petroleum blocks issue will be debated well when Parliament convenes on June 7 and that it will be his first question to the Government.
"Be patient, the Government will have its full explanation on this," he said, in response to SAPP President Datuk Yong Teck Lee's insistence that the two blocks had been ceded to Brunei.
Alternatively, he said Yong's Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) should produce evidence that there are government documents stating Blocks L and M were actually within Sabah waters.
"Show the people these documents because SAPP is actually implying that the State Attorney-General had made a misleading statement," said Mojigoh.
He said SAPP was also implying that the State A-G was not telling the truth or hiding something when telling Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman that no Sabah area was ceded.
Mojigoh said Yong, as a former Chief Minister, should know this well.
"I appreciate Yong's statement. The question of (me) boasting does not arise and I think the word (used by Yong to refer to his statement) is a bit harsh for a gentleman," he said, Tuesday.
Mojigoh, who is Upko Treasurer General, said Yong should show any form of document that state Block L and M were within the maritime boundary in reference to Sabah within Malaysia apart from just talking about historical events.
"All we know is that those letters of exchange and related documents never say that these two blocks are within Sabah territory," he said.
Towards this end, Mojigoh said Yong was running away from the main issue that he had raised. "If Yong could not produce the document then the people would think he is lying."
Mojigoh also disputed Yong's contention that Murphy Sabah Oil Ltd is only operating within Sabah and that Yong must also not confuse the people by dragging Sipadan Ligitan and Layang Layang Atoll into the fray because the issues were totally different from the oil blocks.
"They are landed areas, which by customary are ours.
"Blocks L and M are purely watered areas ... no island there," he said, adding it cannot be denied that Malaysia has an operating right there not because they appeared to be part of Limbang's interest but because of Malaysia's prevailing cordial relationship with Brunei.
Mojigoh said what Yong should be calling for is for both governments to finalise the maritime demarcation and not harp on the sentiment of the Sabah people as if the Federal Government could anytime give away their land to outsiders at the whim and fancies of the Prime Minister.
"It is very dangerous and not good," he said.
In this respect, his earlier statement, he said, was actually telling Yong and Datuk Dr Jeffrey Kitingan that they were barking up the wrong tree.
"Let us not be drowned by our emotion ... let's look at the real issues by looking at the matters positively.
There are more pressing issues like the finalisation of our maritime boundary ... these issues need immediate solution," he said.
He said it was for this reason that he "threw the rope of friendship to certain friends who might have gone off line (course) to scramble back to the platform of discussion" instead of making wild allegations as if the government had committed a deadly sin.
"Don't say that Sabah MPs have no heart for Sabah, don't insult us," he said, while agreeing that Malaysians in Sabah have every right to be concerned about the matter.
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