KOTA KINABALU: The federal government’s decision to transfer the regulatory power of gas supply to Sabah is a step toward realising the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63), said Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor (pix).
In welcoming the decision announced by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim today, Hajiji said this has always been the aspiration of Sabah and the people.
The Chief Minister said he had raised the need to fulfil the MA63 during his first meeting with Anwar after the latter’s appointment as Prime Minister.
“The State Government has been steadfast in our pursuit to take control of and manage the state’s oil and gas resources,” he said in a statement today.
According to the statement upon the Yang di-Pertuan Agung Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al Mustafa Billah Shah’s consent for the decision, the State Assembly will convene a special sitting to approve and gazette the Sabah State Bill for gas supply, and Sabah Energy Commission will take over all regulatory power for onshore gas supply (regasification, transmission, distribution, use of gas by private licensees and retail) in the state with immediate effect.
Anwar today announced the federal government has agreed to hand over the gas supply regulatory power in Sabah to the state government, and the matter was agreed upon as part of the federal government’s effort to honour the MA63.-Bernama