» »Unlabelled » Sabah O&G Council launch on Aug 23 - The Borneo Post Online Berita Sabah - News 2 Sabah

11:03:00

<b>Sabah</b> O&G Council launch on Aug 23 - The Borneo Post Online Berita Sabah - News 2 Sabah

<b>Sabah</b> O&G Council launch on Aug 23 - The Borneo Post Online

Posted: 02 Aug 2014 10:02 AM PDT

KOTA KINABALU: The newly set up Sabah Oil and Gas Services Council (SOGSC) yesterday announced its official formation with a pledge to promote an inclusive petroleum-based industry that allows a more active participation from local companies at various levels.

Its protem committee secretary, Willie Ng, said the council will provide a platform for collaboration, idea exchanges and skill developments for companies and individuals involved or seeking to venture into the booming oil and gas sector in Sabah.

"We know there are already other associations in the industry, and we will work with them, complement each other," he said in a press conference at Bukit Padang yesterday.

Unlike other existing organizations, which are only open to certain segments of the industry, Ng said SOGSC welcomes not just contractors but also all service providers involved in oil and gas activities.

"Our association is open to three membership categories, namely corporate, associate membership and normal memberships. Corporate membership is for companies, where they can send two of their representatives to sit in the committee, while associate membership is for those wishing to learn about the industry or want to venture into oil and gas," he said.

He stressed that a lot was still needed to be done in terms of promoting a rapid and inclusive development in oil and gas in Sabah, particularly in skills and capability enhancement for local contractors.

Towards this, he said among the first order of business for SOGSC would be to collaborate with major established players such as Shell, Talisman and Murphy Oil to aggressively organize seminars and talks for local contractors and service providers.

Ng said between 60 to 80 members of the protem committee were currently processing applications from about 30 interested parties.

He added SOGSC will also work closely with the government, especially in areas where it can assist to promote the industry and the interest of the local players.

Meanwhile, protem president Datuk Iliyas Ibrahim in a written statement for the press conference, said the main objective of SOGSC was to promote the development of the oil and gas industry, with emphasis on enhancing the competency and expertise of its members.

He said this will be done through positive and constructive collaboration with the authorities, industry players and stakeholders.

"Dialogues, discussions, seminars, forums and technical talks shall also be organized with industry stakeholders such as Petronas and major players to upgrade and improve the skills and knowledge of our members.

"Apart from the above, our focus is to complement and positively contribute towards Sabah and nation building in the oil and gas sectors," he said.

Iliyas also informed that in conjunction with its launching on August 23, SOGSC will organize an inaugural charity golf tournament at the Sabah Golf and Country Club (SGCC) on the same day.

He said 200 players were expected to participate in the tournament and the proceeds will be donated to a welfare home under Caring For The Future (CFFM) in Kinarut Papar.

CFFM is a non profit organization that provides protection and a home for neglected, abused and orphaned children.

Apart from the noble charity cause and opportunity to network among themselves, participants will also stand a chance to bring home attractive prizes, which include a Toyota Prius 1.8L Hybrid.

Print Friendly

Tourism in <b>Sabah</b> not collapsing due to Mabul attack – Matta <b>...</b>

Posted: 15 Jul 2014 11:05 AM PDT

KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents (Matta) has refuted claims that tourism in Sabah was on the verge of collapse due to the recent attack on Mabul Island, Semporna.

Matta vice-president (Inbound) Tan Kok Liang said the dive industry in Sabah contributed six per cent of the total tourism contribution while other components such as meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions (Mice), golf, leisure and recreational were not adversely affected by the incident.

He said the tourism industry was at a lull at the moment, mainly due to the vanishing of Flight MH370 in early March this year, and the kidnapping incidents in Sabah over the last few months.

"The World Cup 2014 in Brazil had also influenced the travelling pattern of tourists," he said in a statement from Kota Kinabalu, Sabah today.

Last Saturday, a group of eight heavily-armed men ambushed a resort in Pulau Mabul and killed a marine policeman and abducted another.

Meanwhile, Tan hoped the declining Chinese arrivals which made up some 40 per cent of the estimated 3.5 million tourists in Sabah would be over by October as the China nationals needed time to heal their emotions and anger. — BERNAMA

Print Friendly

Three RTCs for <b>Sabah</b> and Sarawak — Nanta – BorneoPost Online <b>...</b>

Posted: 01 Jul 2014 12:35 PM PDT

KUALA LUMPUR: The Rural and Regional Development Ministry will set up three rural transformation centres (RTCs) in Sabah and Sarawak soon.

Its deputy minister Datuk Alexander Nanta Linggi said two of the RTCs would be built in Sabah, the first time for the state.

The other would be built in Sarawak, the second for the state after the first RTC in Miri, the building of which started in June and expected to be ready this September, he said in reply to a question from Senator Datuk Lihan Jok in the Dewan Negara yesterday.

"Basically, the government only allows the setting up of one RTC in each state, but since Sabah and Sarawak are big states, there will be two RTCs in each of these two states."

Nanta said his ministry was waiting for a proposal from the Sarawak Rural Development Ministry on a suitable site for the state's second RTC.

He said the RTC would provide various facilities including National Registration Department and Social Welfare Department counters, FAMA office, a dental clinic and business lots for local traders.

Nanta said seven Mini RTCs were currently operating in Sarawak, namely in Kuching, Bau, Miri, Sri Aman and Sibu. — Bernama

Print Friendly

Call to help alcoholics in <b>Sabah</b> - The Borneo Post Online

Posted: 10 May 2014 09:55 AM PDT

KOTA KINABALU: The Intervention Group for Alcohol Misuse (IGAM) Sabah under the Malaysian Medical Relief Society has proposed that alcoholic beverage producers in Malaysia set up a rehabilitation centre for alcoholics.

Dr Wilfred John Samuel, the deputy chairperson of IGAM Sabah, said that companies which earn money from producing and selling alcoholic beverages should be responsible for the rehabilitation or intervention for those who are categorized as alcoholics in the state and the country.

"There is currently no rehabilitation center for those who are facing alcohol-addiction problems, so alcoholics in Sabah can only be treated at the mental institution here, and that is not suitable," he said.

Dr Wilfred, who was speaking to the Borneo Post after conducting the IGAM Workshop at the Tang Dynasty Park Hotel in Karamunsing yesterday, said that to date, there is only one support group known as Anonymous Alcoholic (AA) for alcoholics in Sabah.

"The AA group is a support group for sober alcoholics and alcoholics who are trying to stop drinking, in which it serves as a platform for them to share and discuss on the ways to stay sober and avoid relapsing," he stated.

However, Samuel said, that the AA group is not enough to help reduce alcoholics throughout Sabah, which is the reason for IGAM to organize the IGAM Workshop every year since 2007 which aims to train local community leaders from different parts of Sabah to become trainers.

"The objective of the workshop was to develop grassroots leaders who would have the capacity to organize community-based alcohol intervention programmes in their respective locality and village," he added.

Over 60 local community leaders attended the workshop, and 90% of them attended the workshop for the first time. To date, the workshop which is held for the 7th time this year, had produced more than 300 trainers for the alcohol prevention programme.

"We also want the people of Sabah to understand the relationship between culture and drinking.

"Sabahans often believe that drinking alcohol is part of their culture. It is true that some races in Sabah like the KadazanDusun and Rungus have the custom of drinking homemade alcoholic beverages, however, drinking until one is drunk is never part of any culture.

"It is the matter of the amount of the drink. For example, if drinking coffee is a culture, it does not mean that people should drink seven glasses of coffee at one time," he explained and at the same time pointed out that Sabahans' mindset of drinking alcohol should be changed.

Other than that, the workshop yesterday also explained the harm and danger of drinking excessive alcohol.

"Being drunk is also called being intoxicated, and toxic is poison, which means being intoxicated is when someone's body is poisoned," Samuel clarified.

Another issue which was highlighted during the workshop was the financial ability of the locals to purchase alcohol beverages.

"The National Statistics Department had ranked Sabah the poorest state in Malaysia. After conducting some research, we found that a lot of the people who have the habit of drinking spent a lot of money in a year for alcohol, and we want to help them stop," he stressed.

Meanwhile, Dr Wendy Shoesmith, Senior Lecturer in Psychiatry from Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) revealed the figure from her research in the year 2011 that 17% of the population of Sabah were heavy alcohol drinkers, and about 50% of them drink in a hazardous way.

Her research also indicated that 25% of the population in Kota Belud, Kota Marudu, Kudat and Pitas were heavy alcohol drinkers, and half of them drank in a hazardous way.

"The problem we have in Sabah is binge drinking, but only less than 1% of Sabah's population are alcohol-dependent," she said.

The workshop was organized by IGAM in collaboration with UMS and the Sabah State Health Department.

Print Friendly