Kota Kinabalu: Former Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Seri Dr Jeffrey Kitingan said Sabah should take a stronger role in managing its own resources or risk underselling its oil and gas potential by depending too heavily on Federal.
“Sabah has been waiting too long for the Federal Government to decide what it deserves and should instead look to Sarawak as a model for resource autonomy.
Keningau Member of Parliament said this in response to Sabah and Sarawak Affairs Minister Datuk Mustapha Sakmud, who implied that Sabah needed more time to grow its oil and gas earnings.
Jeffrey said Sarawak’s ongoing legal battle to reclaim control of its oil and gas from Petronas under the Petroleum Development Act as a step that Sabah should take seriously.
Jeffrey also cited Sarawak’s state-owned oil company, Petros, as an example of what genuine resource ownership looks like and that Sabah should be working toward a similar model.
He said the national oil company’s interests should not overshadow Sabah’s right to grow.
“Protecting Petronas should not come at the expense of empowering Sabah to control its own resources, create jobs and build a stronger economy,” he said, adding that by continuing to channel everything through Petronas, Sabah was holding back its own local talent, contractors and entrepreneurs who were ready to contribute to the State’s oil and gas industry.
