LAWAS: Petronas must ensure that the Sabah-Sarawak Gas Pipeline (SSGP) project here is safe, said Industrial Development Minister Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan on Sunday.
The state government does not want the June 9 incident at Bukit Briwan, where the underground pipeline exploded, to recur, he added.
“The safety of the people living along the pipeline route is the responsibility of Petronas, and it must not be compromised.
“We don’t want such an incident to recur, and Petronas must ensure this.”
The chilling episode erupted at 1.58am and the `lighted’ up sky could be seen from as far as Temburong District in Brunei. Bukit Briwan is about 135km from the Sabah Oil and Gas Terminal (SOGT) in Kimanis, Sabah.
This RM4.6 billion project started sending gas from Kimanis to the Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) complex in Bintulu in January this year.
Awang Tengah, who is also Second Minister of Resource Planning and Environment and Minister of Public Utilities, said the state government had yet to receive the official report on the incident from the relevant authorities.
This is because Petronas is still investigating the matter and a forensic team from the Department of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH), Putrajaya, had been to the scene to assess the situation.
As the incident sparked safety concerns, Petronas was quick to give an assurance that stringent safety measures in line with international standards were adhered to at all its operations.
Lawas MP Datuk Henry Sum Agong, who had visited the site, urged Petronas to give all necessary information to the affected villagers to calm their jitters.
Last week, Ba Kelalan assemblyman Baru Bian called for the SSGP to remain closed until people living along the route were convinced it was safe for the gas to flow through their backyard.
