By WU VUIDE
KOTA KINABALU: Political Secretary to the Chief Minister, Datuk Dr Roland Chia, has accused former Sabah Oil and Gas Development Corporation (SOGDC) Chief Executive Officer Abdul Kadir Abdullah Damsal of misrepresenting facts and glossing over a period of stagnation under his leadership.
Chia was responding to Kadir’s recent statement refuting remarks made by Finance Minister Datuk Seri Masidi Manjun in the State Assembly, in reply to a question from Senallang Assemblyman Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal.
Chia said Masidi’s response was a direct answer to Shafie’s question on why Sabah, specifically SMJ Energy (SMJE), did not bid for an exploratory oil and gas block off the East Coast.
“To twist that context into a personal attack is not only misleading, but a deliberate attempt to politicise a factual explanation,” Chia said in a statement yesterday.
He noted that Sabah International Petroleum (SIP) was in financial distress prior to being restructured by the current administration.
“The intervention by the Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) government was not cosmetic—it was essential to safeguard Sabah’s fiscal stability and reclaim control of strategic energy assets.
“SMJ Energy was created to do what previous structures failed to do—consolidate state energy interests, enter into direct upstream participation, and deliver real value to the people of Sabah,” he said.
He added that under the current government, the Sipitang Oil and Gas Industrial Park (SOGIP) had regained investor confidence, citing Esteel Enterprise Sdn Bhd’s RM31 billion investment as a prime example.
“SMJE now holds equity in key oil and gas blocks. Sabah Energy Corporation (SEC) has secured onshore gas distribution rights—a historic first.
“In 2024 alone, RM2 billion worth of contracts were awarded to Sabah-based companies, many of which are now expanding beyond state borders,” he said.
Chia stressed that Sabahans had long contributed to the oil and gas sector, but that institutional empowerment was what set the present apart.
“SMJE and SEC are no longer observers—they are lead players. Sabahans are now in key leadership roles thanks to proactive state engagement,” he said.
