LAWAS: Northern Sarawak, especially Lawas, will be the new growth area for the oil and gas sector in the state through the opening of an oil processing plant here.
Chief Minister, Datuk Patinggi (Dr) Abang Johari Tun Openg revealed this yesterday at the laying of the foundation stone for the Centre of Technical Excellence (CENTEXS) here.
He added that there were investors from Hong Kong who wanted to invest in the oil and gas sector in Lawas.
According to Johari, he has instructed Deputy Chief Minister, Datuk Amar Haji Awang Tengah Ali Hassan to follow up with the Hong Kong investors.
The Chief Minister was optimistic that Petroleum Sarawak Berhad (Petros) would be as great as Petroliam Nasional Berhad (Petronas).
Johari said as a result of the recent visit to London he made with the Deputy Chief Minister, he found out that way back in 1954, Sarawak’s borders in the north extended from Lawas to the sea.
“Any attempt to obtain natural resources from the state must have Sarawak’s permission. Petros has also acquired 25 per cent ownership of MLNG3. Supply Based Bintulu and Bakun have also been acquired by Sarawak,” he added.
The Chief Minister said efforts to regain the state’s rights would continue.
“The construction of CENTEXS in Lawas proves the state government’s earnestness to develop more talents to meet the needs of the oil and gas sector in Sarawak,” he said.
Johari explained that the policy of developing the state economy extensively, including in Northern Sarawak, was a strategic approach through Recoda which had been divided into three components, namely, the URDA (Upper Rejang Development Agency), HDA (Highland Development Agency) and the latest is NDA (Northern Development Agency) covering Northern Sarawak (Limbang and Lawas).
He said NDA would be led by Tengah based on his wide knowledge of the northern region of the state.
Johari also urged voters in Lawas to give the BN candidate for the Lawas parliamentary seat, Dato Henry Sum Agong a big mandate and help him become a federal minister so that he could help realise Sarawak’s dream of being the most successful state in 2030.
Also present at the ceremony were Deputy Chief Minister, Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan and wife, Dato Dayang Morliah Binti Datuk Haji Awang Daud, Speaker of the State Legislative Assembly, Datuk Amar Mohamad Asfia Awang Nassar, Deputy Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Minister, Datuk Henry Sum Agong, Assistant Minister of Agriculture, Dr Abdul Rahman Ismail, Batu Danau State Assemblyman, Paulus Palu Gumbang, State Secretary, Tan Sri Datuk Amar Mohamad Morshidi Abdul Ghani and the BN candidate for the Limbang parliamentary seat, Hasbi Habibollah.
