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TEXT OF SPEECH BY

YAB DATUK PATINGGI (DR) ABANG HAJI ABDUL RAHMAN ZOHARI BIN TUN DATUK ABANG HAJI OPENG

PREMIER OF SARAWAK

BAGSF-2 GROUNDBREAKING CEREMONY TANJUNG KIDURONG, BINTULU, SARAWAK

22^ND AUGUST 2022, 3.00 P.M.

Salutation:

Yang Berbahagia Tan Sri Dato' Seri Mohd Bakke Salleh, Chairman of Petronas

YM Datuk Tengku M Taufik Tengku Kamadjaja Aziz, President & Group CEO PETRONAS

Yang Berhormat Deputy Premiers,

Yang Berhormat Ministers & Deputy Ministers, Heads of local Sarawak Agencies,

Assalamualaikum, Salam Sejahtera dan Salam Ibu Pertiwiku

OPENING

First of all, I would like to thank PETRONAS for inviting me to officiate at the Ground Breaking Ceremony for their proposed Bintulu Additional Gas Sales Facility 2 (BAGSF-2) here in Tanjung Kidurong, Bintulu, Sarawak. A very warm welcome to you all today to the BAGSF-2 Groundbreaking Ceremony.

I am very much honoured to be invited and delighted to be here in this auspicious event which I believe everybody present here also feel the same.

This Project marks another significant milestone, not only in our quest to materialize the State’s aspiration to be a developed State by 2030, but more importantly the realization of the state’s own vehicle to venture into the Oil & Gas Industry, particularly in the downstream Petro-Chemical sector, namely Sarawak Petchem.

SARAWAK ECONOMY

Our aspiration is, “By 2030, Sarawak will be thriving society driven by data and innovation where everyone enjoys economic prosperity, social inclusivity and sustainable environment”.

I would like to emphasize the need for Sarawak to double the size of its economy from RM 136 billion to RM 282 billion in 2030. In order to achieve this, Sarawak economy needs to grow on average at 8% per annum until 2030. I am proud to share that Sarawak has outlined 7 Strategic Thrusts to accelerate economic growth after the COVID-19 pandemic.

The initiation of SCORE is evident that Sarawak has the capability in venturing into the oil and gas industry. Sarawak’s economy remains steadfast being the third largest in the country after Selangor and Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur.

In order to expand our economy, one of the strategic initiatives is the emphasis on downstream development in the oil and gas sector. Here, I would like to stress the fact that oil and gas sector is identified as one of the 10 priority industries in SCORE, and also under PCDS 2030.

Sarawak recognizes the contribution of Oil and Gas Industry to its economic growth. I am confident that BAGSF-2 will further add value to Sarawak’s downstream business through realizing the operation of Sarawak Petchem as the major economic engine of growth for Sarawak in the next five to 10 years.

PROGRESSING TOWARDS HIGHER VALUE ADDED PETRO- CHEMICAL INDUSTRIES

I would also like to thank and congratulate PETRONAS, in achieving recent two arrangements in July 2022 (between PETRONAS and SEDC Energy Sdn. Bhd.) to accelerate the development and adoption of hydrogen and renewable oil as alternative fuels for the State.

The supply arrangement was signed between PETRONAS Technology Ventures Sdn Bhd (PTVSB) CEO, Dr. Mahpuzah Abai and SEDC Energy CEO, Robert Hardin, while joint technology collaboration arrangement was signed by Hardin and PETRONAS Chief Technology Office, Dr. Nasir Darman representing PRSB.

We are progressing towards maximizing oil and gas sector’s contribution to the State’s economy. Here, ladies and gentlemen,

we are witnessing BAGSF-2 as the enabler for Bintulu to be another petro-chemical hub in Malaysia. I strongly believe that there will be more collaboration as such with PETRONAS in support of Sarawak’s aspiration to be a developed State by 2030.

CONCLUSION

The construction of BAGSF-2 is proof of PETRONAS’ commitment in collaboration and support to the Sarawak State. I am very pleased to see active collaborations between Sarawak State and PETRONAS and hope to see more in years to come.

On this note, I therefore, officially declare the launching of Groundbreaking Ceremony for Bintulu Additional Gas Sales Facility 2 Project in Kidurong, Bintulu, Sarawak.

END