Sabah passes two bills on transfer of gas supply regulatory power

KOTA KINABALU – The Sabah assembly today passed two bills related to the transfer of gas supply regulatory power from the federal government to the state government.

State Speaker Datuk Seri Kadzim M. Yahya said the two bills, namely the Sabah State Energy Commission Bill 2023 and Gas Supply Bill 2023, were passed with majority voice votes.

Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Mohd Noor, when tabling the Sabah Energy Commission Bill 2023, said the bill seeks to establish the Energy Commission of Sabah (ECoS).

“With this bill, ECoS will be empowered to perform regulatory functions for the gas supply sector in Sabah so that all activities in the sector can be controlled and carried out effectively and efficiently,” he said.

 Hajiji said the transfer of the gas supply regulatory authority was the first phase of the plan to take over the power sector in Sabah.

 The second phase, the takeover of the Electricity Supply and Renewable Energy Regulatory Authority from the federal government, is expected to take place in April this year.

During the debate on the motion, Datuk Ewon Benedick (Kadamaian-PH) said the effort to take power over gas, electricity, and the power sector was part of the full realisation of the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63), which the people of Sabah had long desired.

“We should focus on claiming our rights in MA63, the federal constitution, and not on other matters such as the distribution of seats in this assembly,” said Ewon, who is also the entrepreneur development and cooperative minister. 

The Penampang MP also proposed the establishment of an all-party committee in the Sabah assembly to discuss and organise efforts to claim Sabah’s rights in MA63 and the federal constitution, through the state assembly.

Meanwhile, Hajiji, when tabling the Gas Supply Bill 2023, said it empowers the state government to regulate the gas supply sector in Sabah so that all activities in the sector can be effectively controlled and conducted efficiently.

“This law will be administered and enforced by the Sabah Energy Commission,” he said. – Bernama, January 10, 2023