KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 9 ― National oil giant Petronas is not giving priority to foreigners over Sabahans as claimed, as the firm had already been asked from the very beginning to consider the state residents first for jobs, Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman has said.
Musa said he had requested that Petronas fill up high-ranking positions in the company with Sabahans first, but noted that Sabah itself lack workers who have the skills required for the oil and gas industry.
“This includes to fill in the job vacancies and in fact many local youths are employed there in the two projects. I have also asked Petronas to also give priority to Sabahans for high level posts, not only rank and file.
“But I admit that we lack skilled workers in this sector and in view of this I have asked that our youths be given training so that they can obtain a degree and be employed to fill in these vacancies,” he was quoted saying at the state legislative assembly by local daily The Borneo Post's portal.
Musa said Petronas has committed to train and hire Sabahans for its two projects within the state, but noted that local youths have not shown interest in the courses.
“But I am disappointed because of the lack interest among our youths in these trainings to the extent that sometime there are not enough trainees for the courses.
“The training centre has been set up and the programs prepared, so I urge all Sabahan youths who are interested to apply for the training so that we can ensure that we have a steady supply of skilled manpower for SOGIP and SAMUR,” he said, referring to Petronas's Sipitang Oil and Gas Industrial Park and the Sabah Ammonia Urea projects.
Musa was responding to Sabah opposition chief Datuk Seri Lajim Ukin's supplementary question in the state legislative assembly, where the latter noted there there were complaints particularly from Sipitang residents that local entrepreneurs had not been given opportunities to participate in Petronas's two projects there.
Lajim had requested verification from the Sabah government on the claim that the locals had not been given the chance to supply workers for the projects and that Indonesian workers were instead brought in to do the work.
Last Sunday, Sarawak announced that it has imposed a moratorium with immediate effect on new applications for work permits for all Petronas workers sourced outside of the state to work there, following complaints on the removal of Sarawakian native workers and the alleged filling up of a majority of senior Petronas posts with non-Sarawakians.
