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Sabah Needs Consistent and Transparent Planning for Energy Security – Dennison

  • nabalunews
  • Sep 28
  • 2 min read

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28 September 2025


KOTA KINABALU: Persistent power rationing and frequent supply interruptions in Sabah reflect years of inconsistent planning and stalled energy projects, according to United Progressive Kinabalu Organisation (UPKO) Treasurer-General Dennison R. Indang.


He stressed that Sabah’s energy challenges are not the fault of any one administration but the cumulative result of delays, cancellations, and policy shifts across different governments at both state and federal levels. These inconsistencies, he said, have weakened Sabah’s ability to build reliable reserves and left consumers paying the price.


“One example was the Trans-Sabah Gas Pipeline (TSGP), launched in 2016 to channel gas to the east coast for electricity generation and industry. While integrity concerns later raised by the authorities were valid and had to be addressed, the problem was that no clear alternative plan was put in place after the cancellation. This created a gap that continues to affect us today.


“The related 300MW Ranhill power plant in Sandakan, designed to complement the pipeline, was also stalled and only revived years later. These disruptions show how vulnerable Sabah becomes when major projects are cancelled without transparent communication on replacement strategies,” he said in a statement on Friday.


Dennison also pointed to water infrastructure as another example, citing the cancellation of the Kaiduan Dam before GE14 and the later revival of the Papar Dam project in almost the same location. “Whether under one government or another, such flip-flops have undermined public trust. The issue is not whether concerns were genuine, but that the people were left uncertain about how their long-term needs would be secured,” he added.


He emphasized that the lesson from these episodes is not about assigning blame to one party, but about building safeguards to ensure that energy and water projects are managed consistently, transparently, and with bipartisan commitment.


Dennison called for the following actions: a full audit of stalled and cancelled energy projects, including their financing structures; transparent communication to the public on the true costs and repayment models of major infrastructure projects; and a bipartisan framework to safeguard energy and water security from political flip-flops.


“Sabah’s economic growth, investor confidence, and the wellbeing of its people depend on reliable electricity and water supply. Moving forward, we must learn from past mistakes and put in place processes that protect long-term projects from being derailed by changing political tides,” Dennison said.

 
 
 

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