THE SARAWAK Government must exercise its rights to demand full and immediate compliance with the Distribution of Gas Ordinance (DGO) 2016 by Petroliam Nasional Berhad (Petronas).
Kota Sentosa assemblyman Wilfred Yap said the state government through Petroleum Sarawak Berhad (Petros) must be prepared to enforce its legal rights under the DGO 2016 with court proceeding, if necessary, for an injunction and damages against Petronas.
He said this is crucial to ensure a stable natural gas supply to support Sarawak’s growing economic sectors, including power generation, commercial industries, and industrial manufacturing.
“Petros was appointed as Sarawak’s Gas Aggregator under the DGO 2016.
“However, it is very unfortunate that the Sarawak government, through Petros, is still in technical discussions with Petronas to ensure compliance with all requirements under the DGO 2016,” he said when debating in support of the Supply Bill 2025 here, Thursday (Nov 14).
Yap also cited the Sarawak Gas Roadmap launched in 2019, a strategic initiative to maximise the domestic use of natural gas and promote industrial development through gas-based infrastructure.
This roadmap aims to drive socioeconomic transformation by increasing value-added activities and creating growth opportunities, he said.
Yap additionally highlighted a pressing need for affordable housing in Kota Sentosa, advocating for at least 500 units to support middle-income groups struggling with high urban housing prices.
“Kota Sentosa is one of several urban areas where housing affordability has become a major issue.
“On behalf of the communities of Kota Sentosa, I appeal to the Sarawak government for the implementation of an affordable housing scheme of at least 500 units in the constituency of Kota Sentosa.”
Yap pointed out that factors such as income levels, property prices, land costs, and demand-supply imbalances all impact housing affordability.
He identified three primary challenges: a mismatch between housing supply and demand, a tendency toward high-end housing construction, and a rise in property prices that outpaces household income growth.
Without addressing these challenges, Yap warned that the shortage of affordable housing could strain the labour market and place additional burdens on transportation systems as workers are forced to commute longer distances.
