Petronas today was asked to provide a transparent and detailed explanation on its decision to supply and channel gas from the Sabah Oil and Gas Terminal to the Petronas Liquefied Nitgrogen Gas Complex in Bintulu, Sarawak.

State assemblyperson for Pantai Manis, Abdul Rahim Ismail, made this request to Petronas, saying that the explanation would be important in putting to rest any confusion with regard to the project.

“Some may understand the rationale for the decision, but I fear a majority of them may not understand and we do not want any parties trying to exploit the issue for their own interests,” he said when debating the Sabah 2012 budget at the state legislative assembly in Kota Kinabalu today.

Abdul Rahim also urged the state government to form a special committee with the specific role of looking into issues related to the state’s oil and gas industry.

“This body must be represented by players from the oil and gas industry, be it the government or private sector.”

The same body can also take action in representing, safeguarding and advocating the interest of Sabah in matters related to the development of the industry in the state, he said.

Abdul Rahim said the body should also have to capacity and expertise to play advisor and consultant on the industry with the view to taking care of Sabah’s interests.

He said the new discovery of oil within 100km offshore Kota Kinabalu by Petronas had the potential of beefing up both the upstream and downstream activities of the state’s oil and gas industry.

The former state minister of agriculture and food industries also expects the new oil find to extend the lifespan of oil and gas production in Sabah and make the state an important player in the country’s oil and gas industry in the decades to come.

- Bernama