No announcement gas pipeline project cancelled, says Pairin
PENAMPANG:
Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Seri Joseph Pairin Kitingan yesterday refuted claims that the RM3 billion gas pipeline from Kimanis to Bintulu had been scrapped. “I have not heard of the announcement; was it in the newspapers? If it was announced, then it must be carried in the newspapers. I have no knowledge of any scrapping or any announcement,” he said when asked to comment on the call by Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Tan Sri Bernard Dompok for the project to be scrapped in accordance with an announcement made by the Prime Minister. Pairin was met by reporters at the Kadazan Dusun Cultural Association (KDCA) premises yesterday while waiting for Sarawak Deputy Chief Minister Tan Sri Alfred Jabu’s arrival for a visit. According to Pairin, who is also Rural Development Minister and Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) President, “you can talk about something which was not openly announced. So I cannot comment on something which has not appeared in the paper. I don’t think it’s fair to do ‘that.” He however said there are pros and cons in the project, and agreed with the view that the interest of Sabah and its people must be looked into. People are talking about the issue because they are worried about the gas that is being piped out of Sabah, he said, adding that the issue needs better clarification and at this point in time, clarification must be made before any statements are issued. “I think different people have different feelings and therefore we have to see what are the comments, the relevancy of the comments and what are the commitments,” he stressed. Dompok, who is also United Pasokmomogun Kadazandusun Organization (UPKO) President, said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi announced the scrapping of the project during his visit to Sabah on May 31.
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