BONGAWAN: Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) candidate Tan Sri Anifah Aman for Bongawan has one goal in mind: how to create sustainable and scalable income for the people in the constituency he hopes to serve.
It is not an easy task for any leader who might make the same offer, and perhaps many would pooh-pooh the ambition as nothing more than an empty election promise made merely to win votes.
But Anifah is dead serious, and he has a proven track record to show that it can be done. The answer lies underground in Bongawan.
“It is black gold,” he says, referring to oil and gas.
Anifah saw the opportunity years ago, but circumstances prevented him from fulfilling it. This time, he is determined to make it happen for Bongawan, as the people need an anchor industry to transform their lives and secure a more stable future for thousands of youths.
“I want Bongawan youths to stay close to home and not look for jobs elsewhere,” he said.
For this, Anifah has renewed his longstanding ambition to transform Bongawan into Sabah’s next major oil and gas hub, insisting the proposal is driven by experience and genuine commitment rather than election-season rhetoric.
Drawing from his role in establishing the Sabah Oil and Gas Terminal (SOGT) in Kimanis and his nine years as Malaysia’s Foreign Minister, Anifah said he is confident that Bongawan has all the makings of a strategic energy centre.
“This is not a political proposal tied to the election. It is something very close to my heart,” he said. “Based on my past experience and success, I know this can be realised.”
Anifah believes the achievements in Kimanis can be replicated in Bongawan.
He urged voters to give him a renewed mandate, saying this would allow him to pursue a development plan he was previously unable to implement.
“All I’m asking is for the people of Bongawan to give me the mandate once again. Allow me to fulfil this unfulfilled dream.
“I want the people of Bongawan to fully benefit from all of this. If given the mandate, I am ready to turn Bongawan into Sabah’s energy industry hub. It is time to move beyond rhetoric and towards actual implementation.”
He envisions the proposed oil and gas hub as a catalyst for transformative change in the constituency.
The industry’s demand for engineers, technical specialists, plant operators, logistics personnel and administrative workers would open the door to high-quality job opportunities for local residents, especially young people, without requiring them to migrate elsewhere.
Economic activity around Bongawan would grow rapidly as supporting industries—fabrication, engineering services, shipping companies, logistics providers, and various vendors—move in.
Local businesses such as shops, eateries, accommodations and transport services would also benefit from increased demand.
Anifah added that the hub could strengthen Sabah’s revenue through taxes, licensing and potential royalties, enabling the state government to invest more in public infrastructure and community development.
To support industrial operations, major upgrades would be needed in road systems, logistics facilities, water supply, electricity and telecommunications—improvements that would directly enhance daily life for residents.
He also highlighted the entrepreneurial potential for locals, who could offer services ranging from security and transportation to industrial cleaning, machinery rentals and food supply.
The presence of an oil and gas hub would likely attract technical and vocational training institutions, giving Bongawan youths access to advanced skills training at affordable costs.
Over time, he said, the cumulative impact of industrial growth, rising incomes, improved services and new housing opportunities would raise the overall standard of living.
Ultimately, Anifah believes the development could position Bongawan as one of Sabah’s new strategic zones, similar to Bintulu or Kemaman, giving the constituency a stronger identity and a significant role in the state’s energy landscape.
