Ex Minister Questions Move To Decommission Sabah Sarawak Gas Pipeline

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Former works minister Baru Bian said Petronas’s move to decommission the 500km gas pipeline from Sabah to Sarawak raises serious questions about the planning and decision-making processes behind such large-scale projects.
PETALING JAYA: A former minister has questioned Petronas’s decision to decommission the RM4.6 billion Sabah-Sarawak gas pipeline which was built 10 years ago, stating that such massive investments should have long-term viability.
In a statement, Ba’kelalan assemblyman Baru Bian said the national oil and gas company’s decommissioning of the 500km pipeline — which also passes through his constituency — will inevitably incur additional costs and affect local communities’ livelihoods.
“This raises serious questions about the planning and decision-making processes behind such large-scale projects,” said the former works minister.
The 500km natural gas pipeline connects Kimanis in Sabah to Bintulu in Sarawak and has been operational since early 2014.
In its activity outlook report yesterday, Petronas said it plans to decommission the pipeline over the next three years. Earlier reports tied this to safety and operational challenges.
The state energy firm said these plans include the plugging and abandonment of 153 wells and the abandonment of 37 offshore facilities.
Baru said the news of the decommissioning had been received with mixed feelings by local communities, especially as the pipeline runs close to many villages.
He said local residents felt a sense of relief that they will no longer have to “live in fear of another explosion”. Several leakages and explosions had occurred along the pipeline, with the most serious incident resulting in loss of life.
In 2022, The Borneo Post reported that a man was killed and three others injured in an explosion at the pipeline in Lawas, Sarawak.
However, Baru also noted that the decommissioning will also mean the loss of economic opportunities for the people in the affected areas.
He said that when the pipeline was first constructed, communities had hoped it would bring long-term benefits, including employment opportunities and economic development.
“Now, with its closure, those opportunities are also being taken away,” said Baru.
Urging Petronas to ensure that the decommissioning process is handled responsibly with minimal impact on the environment and the local communities, Baru hoped that some decommissioning work would be awarded to capable local companies.
He said this would provide some economic benefits to the people who are directly affected by the closure of the pipeline. - FMT

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