Federal Govt Scrapped Gas Pipeline Project Not Me Says Shafie

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Warisan president Shafie Apdal has denied allegations of his party’s involvement in cancelling the Trans-Sabah Gas Pipeline Project (TSGP), insisting that the decision had been made by the federal government instead.
ADSAccording to a report from The Star, the Semporna MP told an audience in Sandakan yesterday that the federal government had borrowed millions from China to fund the project, which the Sabah government then had to pay for under his leadership.
“It was not us who cancelled. The one who cancelled was the federal government. They borrowed money from China, billions, and when I was chief minister, I was told that we had to pay.
"The money was already spent, but the pipeline was not there,” he reportedly said during a meet-and-greet programme last night, adding that it was beyond his authority to reverse the decision.
“Why accuse me? How can I stop a cabinet decision? The money was borrowed by the federal government. What is important is to investigate and take action.
“Who was the government at that time? Who was the economy minister then - from Sabah or from the peninsula? Action must be taken to find out where this money went,” he said.
Sabah Umno information chief Suhaimi NasirThe project, worth over RM4 billion, involved building a 662km gas pipeline across the state and had been scrapped on several occasions, including in 2018 during Shafie’s term as Sabah chief minister under the Pakatan Harapan administration.
Last week, Sabah Umno information chief Suhaimi Nasir had blamed the Warisan leader for the constant power outages in Sabah’s east coast, citing that Shafie had not only failed to defend Sabah’s interests, but that he had also welcomed the project’s cancellation.
‘Beyond my authority’
In his speech yesterday, the Warisan leader remarked that it was beyond his authority to reverse the decision and urged Sabahans to focus on pursuing long-term solutions, instead of relying on abandoned projects, such as the gas pipeline.
The Semporna MP also emphasised that the east coast should develop its own sources of energy production, instead of being heavily reliant on electricity generated from the peninsula.
“Why can’t we build a dam in Sabah? The Segama river is wide enough, and in Kinabatangan, there are also suitable areas.
“If we build it, in not even 10 years, not even five years, I am confident we can overcome problems of electricity, water, and even hydrogen.
ADS"Today, Sarawak is getting almost RM7 billion from the Bakun dam. Imagine if we solve this problem, we not only increase revenue but also create job opportunities for our children in Sabah,” he said.
Project background
The construction of the gas pipeline project had initially been approved in 2016 by the previous BN administration, and had been scrapped in 2018 under the Harapan government.
The project was revived in 2021 under the Perikatan Nasional government, before being cancelled again.
Earlier this year, the Economy Ministry said that domestic gas supplies from offshore Sabah allocated to the TSGP have been reallocated to meet the demands of other sectors such as electricity, industry, and petrochemicals.
The ministry has since denied any plans for a project specifically focusing on electricity supply issues in Sabah, and explained that in 2023, the federal government had already handed over the power to regulate Sabah’s gas supply to the state administration.
This week, at least 14 people have been killed and thousands more evacuated after more than a week of heavy rain paralysed much of western Sabah, leaving homes destroyed, power lines cut, and key roads severed in Penampang, Papar, Membakut, Sipitang and other districts. - Mkini

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