My congratulations to Malaysian Exhibition Services Sdn Bhd, for organising the 12th Asian Oil, Gas & Petrochemical Engineering Exhibition, OGA 09, to be held from 10 to 12 June 2009, at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre.

The world's oil and gas industry is in the spotlight these days, with high prices of crude oil and demand for all types of petroleum products worldwide. As the lifeblood of the world economy, access to the petroleum reserves remains a key imperative for global geopolitics.

And despite decades of technological advancements in petroleum production and logistics, there will always be fear and uncertainty of interruptions in supply. To ensure a steady supply of oil and gas to meet the world’s growing energy needs, full scale exploration and production activities still need to be carried out.

In Malaysia, with PETRONAS at the forefront of oil and gas exploration, I have no doubt that we will continue to be the hub for the Asia Pacific region for this dynamic growth sector. The company’s current emphasis on enhancing downstream production, as well as developing its engineering services and technologies gives Malaysia strong credentials as a showplace for the latest developments in the energy sector.

Thus, this exhibition will not only be a platform for companies involved in the oil and gas equipment to showcase their latest products, equipment, technologies and services for the industry, it is also provides and opportunity for the energy industry to use OGA 09 as an integral part of their marketing plan. It is my hope that we can count on your full support.

With your continued support, I have every confidence that OGA 09 will build on the success of the 2007 event and once again exceed all expectations as an important event for the oil and gas fraternity.

Dato' Seri Abdullah Haji Ahmad Badawi Prime Minister, Malaysia