KUCHING: Premier Tan Sri Abang Johari Openg said Sarawak should have full control over gas supply and distribution.
In his Christmas message today, he said the state government had the lawful right to control the distribution of natural gas in the state.
"Under the Sarawak Gas Roadmap (SGR), our natural gas is being channelled to other parts of the state to ensure we can use more of our gas to develop the local economy, rather than just exporting it to other countries."
He said state-owned Petroleum Sarawak Bhd (Petros) begun the RM2 billion 500MW combined-cycle gas turbine (CCGT) power plant project in Miri to boost power supply in northern Sarawak.
He said pipelines were being constructed to supply gas to Samalaju 70km away from the gas terminal in Tanjung Kidurong, Bintulu.
He said as part of the SGR, natural gas would also be channelled to other parts of Sarawak, including Kuching, where there will be a gas terminal at the proposed deep sea port in Tanjung Embang.
"Gas will also be distributed for domestic use, like in Miri."
Johari said within five to 10 years, the Sarawak government and the private sector were expected to invest RM100 billion in a new international airport and a new deep sea port in Kuching.
He said these and other large, strategic projects in the works were designed to make Sarawak a new economic force in Asia.
The premier said Sarawak needed to create an ecosystem that would usher its economy into a new era of technological and economic advancement.
He expressed confidence that the new international airport in Kuching would be another "X factor" for Sarawak as an attractive destination for businesses, investment and visitors.
"We will build the new, seamless airport with state funds as we need to expedite its implementation."