MINDET to take ‘Sabah OGSE 5‑Year Roadmap’ to State Cabinet — Ewon

5 June 2026

KOTA KINABALU: The Sabah Ministry of Industrial Development, Entrepreneurship and Transport (MINDET) will present the Sabah Oil & Gas Services and Equipment (OGSE) 5‑Year Roadmap to the Sabah State Cabinet to secure the government’s full support for the state’s oil and gas industry development plan.

Deputy Chief Minister III and MINDET Minister Datuk Ewon Benedick said the roadmap, unveiled at the Sabah OGSE 2026 Conference and Exhibition, reflects the industry’s aspiration to significantly increase participation by local companies in the oil and gas sector.

“Over the two days of this conference, the most important outcome was the presentation of the Sabah OGSE 5‑Year Roadmap, which highlights Sabah’s desire to develop the oil and gas industry with a far greater involvement of local players than we see today."

“At ministerial level, we will bring these findings to the Sabah State Cabinet for full support,” he said.

He made the remark to reporters after officiating at the closing ceremony of the Sabah OGSE 2026 Conference and Exhibition here today.

Ewon said the roadmap is expected to guide local industry players in raising their participation in the oil and gas sector, in line with efforts to strengthen local content in the strategic industry.

He said the roadmap outlines five core pillars that involve shared responsibility among the government, oil and gas operators, the industry community and Sabah’s local companies.

“One key pillar is the role of the local industry players themselves in capacity building. While we aim to support greater participation by Sabah companies, we also want to see them develop their own capacities. "

“This involves not only asset strength, but also skills, human resources, technical capabilities and other resources needed to compete in this industry,” he said.

He expressed confidence that the industry‑proposed roadmap can serve as the foundation for increased participation by local firms over the next five years.

“I believe that by 2030 we will be able to assess a more noticeable increase in the involvement of Sabah’s local industry players in the oil and gas sector."

“I am also confident this roadmap will mark the starting point for Sabah to emerge as an oil and gas industry hub in the region,” he said.

At the event, Ewon witnessed the signing of Memoranda of Agreement (MoAs) between several Sabah companies and industry strategic partners as part of efforts to strengthen collaboration and capacity development in the sector.

He stressed that Sabah can no longer play merely the role of a producer of oil and gas resources; it must become an equity owner of its natural resources and a principal player in the industry’s service and supply chains.

“Sabah must be a leading player in the service and supply chain and develop the oil and gas industry ecosystem on its own soil."

“This inaugural conference will drive and guide Sabah to become an industry hub in the region, starting with the roadmap presented today,” he said.

He added that MINDET will play a more significant role in realising the Sabah First aspiration to ensure the benefits of the oil and gas industry are more widely enjoyed by Sabah’s people and local companies.