Pelagoose

Uggah speaking to reporters after opening the ISP seminar yesterday

DCM, State Secretary meeting Petronas to get real picture of its hiring policy

KUCHING: The State Government and Petronas will meet on Monday here to discuss the national oil corporation’s recruitment practices in Sarawak.

Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah and State Secretary (SS) Tan Sri Datuk Amar Mohd Morshidi Abdul Ghani will represent the state government in the talk to find out the recruitment and retrenchment practices of Petronas regarding Sarawakians.

“They will be meeting SS and I first before meeting the Chief Minister (Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Adenan Satem). The issue is very simple. This is regarding Petronas’ employment in Sarawak because before this there were some allegations that there is some unfairness.

“We want to know what is the situation actually and from there, we will see. They will come to explain to us and to discuss with us. Whatever they say, we want to know the truth. That is all. If what they say is right, then we don’t dispute. If there are some issues, we want the issues to be resolved, amicably.

“What we want is transparency and fairness, that is all,” Uggah told a press conference after witnessing the swearing-in ceremony of Betong District Council councillors yesterday morning.

The issue of Petronas’ preference for Peninsular Malaysians over Sarawakians for jobs in the state has recently been widely highlighted in the media.

The issue was raised when Suarah Petroleum Group (SPG) revealed that Petronas in a restructuring process had abolished 29 permanent positions which resulted in the retrenchment of 13 experienced staff from Sarawak.

SPG president Hamin Yusuf was quoted as saying that the majority of senior jobs were also filled by non-Sarawakians and the influx of Peninsular Malaysians filling the lower level jobs exacerbated the situation for the state.

Since then, leaders across the political divide have urged the State Government to act fast to stop workers from other states from working here, prompting Uggah to issue a statement that a moratorium would be imposed with immediate effect on all new applications for work permit by Petronas personnel from outside Sarawak intending to work here.

In response, Petronas had on Tuesday issued a statement asserting its stand on hiring practices and that the decision to impose moratorium was based on “the wrong perception that its recent group-wide business restructuring had unfairly impacted its employees from Sarawak”.

When contacted, Immigration director Kent Laben told The Borneo Post that his department had stopped issuance of work pass to any Petronas application, including its subsidiaries until further directive from the state authority since the announcement of the moratorium on Monday.

Deputy Chief Minister Tan Sri Datuk Amar Dr James Jemut Masing on the other hand hoped that after the State Government had imposed the moratorium, Sarawak would not be used as ‘dumping ground’ of workers and government staff from outside the state.

“We have a good pool of talents here in Sarawak, I hope we can provide better job opportunities for them otherwise they will be headhunted by countries like Singapore where they are enticed with good perks,” he pointed out.

Masing, who is also PRS president, stressed that the relevant authorities should apply the same criteria or standard operating procedure (SOP) for the federal public service posts in Sarawak so that more locals could be appointed as heads of various federal government departments and agencies in the state because currently, many have alleged that most of the various government department and agencies were headed by officers from other states.

“I was told that there are departments in Peninsular Malaysia which qualified Sarawakians aren’t allowed to head. If indeed this is true, then integration of civil service will not take place. I hope I am wrongly informed!” said Masing.

Meanwhile, the issue has caught the attention of netizens who had voiced out their opinions on Petronas’ recruitment practices at Borneo Post Online social media page https://www.facebook.com/borneopost.online/?fref=ts.

Among those posting their thoughts Alex Ng supported the state government’s move in imposing the moratorium.

“Our government must be firm on this policy for the interest of the people of Sarawak, it is no more 50 years ago. Any people who is (non-Sarawakian) working in Sarawak must apply (for) work permit, there is no question about it. We can’t afford to open our border where people come in and rob our children’s future.”

Ng’s opinion was supported by Joseph Chiam who stressed that both deputy chief ministers must be firm on the policy.

Another netizen, Tay Taylor, pointed out that “The majority of Sarawakian staff in Petronas were contract staff and were of low ranking workers. Those in high positions are countable”.

Netizens Endu Mariah and Mohamad Fadzairy told Petronas not to be arrogant and reminded it that the origin of its wealth is from Sarawak.

Tengku Faqkaruddin rebutted Petronas by saying “It is not a misperception. It is simple. Anything goes wrong, the Sarawakians will go first.”


 August 11, 2016, Thursday By Lian Cheng & Peter Sibon, reporters@theborneopost.com

Petronas in its quest to become an MNC has forgotten its role as a national oil company. It has also forgotten upon whose assets and resources it has risen into the ranks of the Fortune 500. Does it not owe Sarawak anything?

To talk of its thousands of international staff and job seekers from the other 12 states as well is besides the point.

Having sacrificed its petroleum resources to Petronas for the last 40 years, is it too much for Sarawak to ask for priority to be given to Sarawakians for jobs in Sarawak?

While not all Sarawakians may want to work for Petronas, if work is available in Sarawak would they want to work elsewhere including in Semenanjung?

The deal when Malaysia was formed was Borneanisation, not Malayanisation. This is clear from the Malaysia Agreement.

There are good reasons why Sarawak required control over its own immigration and priority for employment for Sarawakians is one of them, notwithstanding which has been flouted by Petronas and conveniently forgotten by most if not all Malayans.

Petronas meritocracy is only an excuse. Sarawakians were employed in O&G long before any Malayans and today are among the best. They can find employment in O&G worldwide, but strangely not in their home state for Petronas. Why?

Why are there no Sarawakians in senior management positions in Petronas itself, or even at board level (have there ever been)? Meritocracy or bias? Coincidence or on purpose? Overlooked or planned?

Yes, Petronas must look at the larger picture, but in doing so must not forget its roots and who it is supposed to look after.

The idea behind the relinquishment of the petroleum-producing states' resources to Petronas was to benefit the non-petroleum producing states as well.

It is ironical that now the petroleum-producing states find themselves among the poorest in the nation, unable even to take advantage of employment opportunities for their own people because Petronas thinks that only it can decide on meritocracy, but in reality not especially when junior staff from Malaya are given jobs replacing senior Sarawakians.

Sarawakians are not asking or begging for jobs which they don't deserve. All Sarawakians want is a fair chance to regain economic parity for its present and future generations. This is not merely in the State's interest but also in the national interest.

If that is denied to them because of pro-Malayan Petronas bias, Petronas has to answer to the State.

Yusuf Abdul Rahman
Media Communications
Suarah Petroleum Group

Congratulated to national divers Pandelela Rinong and Cheong Jun Hoong who won Malaysia's first medal, a silver, at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro early today.

Pandelela and Jun Hoong won the medal in the 10m synchronised platform event at the Maria Lenk Aquatics Centre.

The duo, paired for the third time in international championships, accumulated 344.34 points behind China's Chen Ruolin and Liu Huxia who collected 354 points.

Canadaian pair Meaghan Benfeito and Roseline Filion won the bronze medal with 336.18 points.

RIO DE JANEIRO, Aug 10 — Pandelela Rinong and Cheong Jun Hoong created history when they won a silver medal in the women’s 10m platform synchronised event yesterday.

This is Malaysia’s first ever silver medal in diving at the Olympics and diving’s second, four years after Pandelela won a bronze in the 10m platform.

The Malaysians collected 344.34 points to trail China’s Chen Ruolin-Liu Huixia (354.00) and ahead of Canada’s Meaghan Benfeito-Roseline Filion (336.18).

Pandelela said she was both surprised and delighted with their performance.

“I never thought that we could win the silver medal today because the competition is very tough and all of the divers of other countries are very, very good.”

“We started to warm up and after that we found our footing,” she told olympic.org, the official website for the Olympics.

Jun Hoong said the silver medal made up for her disappointment in the synchronised 3m springboard with Nur Dhabitah Sabri on Sunday.

“I told myself to forget what had happened in the 3m springboard and to focus on the 10m platform. Everyday is a new day and I focus on my performance in the 10m platform,” said the 26-year-old.

Jun Hoong has said that it was her error that cost Malaysia a first medal at the Rio de Janeiro Olympics earlier this week. She said she messed up her dive in round four of the women's synchronised 3m springboard with Dhabitah.

Pairing with Jun Hoong, Pandelela was unperturbed when North Korean pair Kim Kuk Hyang and Kim Mi Rae took second spot after the third dive.

“We were focused on our dives and what we needed to do. Although points were flashed on the giant scoreboard across the platform, we didn't look at our position,” said Pandelela.

She said that the pair had been training together for almost two years and often matched other divers in international championships.

“This is the third time we have competed in a competition as a pair,” said Pandelela who had often paired with Leong Mun Yee.

She said the coaches often experimented with new combinations and found the right match in Rio.

“I am recovering from a string of injuries and the training stint in China was put to good use here,” she said.

Pandelela will compete next in the 10m individual platform on Aug 17, while Jun Hoong will take part on the 3m springboard on Friday. Pandelela's parents and elder brother will watch her in action in the individual event.

China's Chen, who is competing at her third Games, has won every major title in the synchronised 10m platform event since 2006, which makes her overall tally of Olympic goals to five.

This puts her on par with fellow athlete Wu Minxia for scoring the most Olympic diving gold medals in a career.

KUCHING: The state government’s decision to place a moratorium on all new applications for work permits for Petronas employees from outside Sarawak has raised the concern of national oil company.

In a statement released yesterday, Petronas believed that the decision, announced over the weekend, may have been made based on the wrong perception that its recent group-wide business restructuring had unfairly impacted its employees from Sarawak.

“Sarawak remains a key investment State for Petronas, where its workforce requirement will continue to grow. Petronas expects the majority of the workforce required to meet the new manpower demand will constitute Sarawakians, as per existing recruitment practices. “A number of positions are expected to be filled by experienced employees, which may include non-Sarawakians,” said the statement issued by Petronas’ Media Relations Department Group Strategic Communications here yesterday.

The statement pointed out that the key to the successful delivery and operations of Petronas’ projects in Sarawak is the support and commitment from all relevant parties, especially its teams of qualified, trained and dedicated employees – no matter where they are from.

“Petronas has had a number of engagement and briefings with the Sarawak State Government’s officials at various levels following the restructuring exercise.

“Petronas will continue with its engagement efforts, including with Deputy Chief Minister Dato Sri Douglas Uggah Embas to address the State’s concerns with regards to Petronas’ manpower requirement in Sarawak,” added the statement.

It added that, like many other oil and gas companies worldwide, it will continue to review its business strategies and

manpower requirements for better efficiency and sustainability, to make it more resilient and focused to thrive in the current and future industry landscapes.

The statement was in response to Uggah’s announcement that the State Government had imposed a moratorium with immediate effect on all new application for work permits of Petronas personnel from outside Sarawak intending to work here.

The issue of Petronas staff in the State has been hogging the limelight ever since it was highlighted by Suarah Petroleum Group (SPG) on the abolishment of 29 permanent positions that resulted in the retrenchment of 13 experienced staff from Sarawak by Petronas in its upstream restructuring exercise in Sarawak recently.

SPG president Hamin Yusuf was quoted as saying that the majority of senior jobs were also filled by non-Sarawakians and the influx of Peninsular Malaysians filling the lower level jobs exacerbated the situation for the state.

Since then, leaders from both the political divide have urged the State Government to act fast to stop workers from other states from depriving Sarawakians of job opportunities in the national oil company.

 August 10, 2016, Wednesday
Credit- Borneo Post

KUCHING: The decision by the Sarawak government to freeze new applications for work permits from Petronas is a fair decision, said Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Abang Johari Tun Openg.

“If Sarawakians (working in Petronas) are retrenched, and yet others (from outside Sarawak) come in and replace them, it is not fair.

“If there are capable Anak Sarawak, who should continue serving in Petronas, let them continue,” he told reporters after chairing a meeting at Sarawak Islamic Council yesterday.

He said the state government took the initiative to freeze the work permits due to several complaints that Petronas underwent a restructuring exercise which involved retrenchment of officers from Sarawak in its operations in the state.

“There were complaints that many non-Sarawakian officers are still retained to serve here. So, (fellow Deputy Chief Minister) Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah has contacted Petronas senior officers to provide latest figure on Sarawakians working in Petronas.

“In the meantime, we freeze the working permit for them until after we got all the information to be verified,” he said.

The Borneo Post yesterday front-paged news regarding Sarawak government’s decision to suspend with immediate effect all new applications for work permit of Petronas personnel from outside Sarawak intending to work in Sarawak.

Uggah said this would ensure that Petronas would be fair and transparent in engaging with Sarawak regarding its operations here.

The Borneo Post’s front-page reports on two consecutive days highlighted the concern raised by Suarah Petroleum Group (SPG) on the abolishment of 29 permanent positions that resulted in the retrenchment of 13 experienced staff from Sarawak by Petronas in its upstream restructuring exercise in Sarawak.

SPG president Hamin Yusuf was quoted as saying that most senior jobs were also filled by non-Sarawakians and the influx of Peninsular Malaysians filling the lower level jobs exacerbated the situation.

Credit- Borneo Post

ENGKILILI: Upacara tolak bala pembinaan projek jambatan di Rumah Lepang, Sayat di Engkilili bertukar tragedi apabila seorang lelaki cedera di tangan setelah diserang menggunakan parang.

Ketua Polis Daerah Lubok Antu DSP James Jonathan berkata kejadian berlaku pada Sabtu lalu di tapak pembinaan projek jambatan dekat rumah panjang itu.

Menurutnya, mangsa yang berusia 35 tahun dari rumah panjang tersebut diserang seorang lelaki yang juga dari rumah panjang sama.

“Ketika kejadian kedua-duanya sedang mengikuti upacara tolak bala dan meminum minuman keras,” katanya.

Sementara itu, siasatan polis mendapati suspek berumur 41 tahun dalam keadaan mabuk dan berlaku pertengkaran antara kedua-duanya.

Suspek kemudian balik ke rumah dan kembali semula ke tapak pembinaan dengan membawa parang dan terus menyerang mangsa.

James berkata suspek kemudian melarikan diri manakala mangsa dibawa ke Hospital Sri Aman untuk rawatan dan mendapat 14 jahitan.

Susulan laporan polis dibuat mangsa pada Sabtu lalu, polis kemudian bertindak menangkap suspek di rumahnya di Rumah Lepang, Sayat.

Suspek kini ditahan reman tiga hari sementara kes disiasat di bawah Seksyen 324, Kanun Keseksaan iaitu mendatangkan kecederaan menggunakan senjata tajam.

KUCHING: Keputusan kerajaan negeri membekukan permohonan baharu untuk permit pekerjaan daripada Petronas adalah tindakan yang adil, kata Timbalan Ketua Menteri Datuk Amar Abang Johari Tun Abang Openg.

“Jika rakyat Sarawak (bekerja dengan Petronas) diberhentikan dan yang lain dari luar Sarawak datang dan mengambil alih kekosongan ditinggalkan, ia tidak adil.

“Jika ada anak Sarawak berkebolehan, yang seharusnya terus berkhidmat dengan Petronas, biarlah mereka terus bekerja (di situ),” katanya kepada pemberita selepas mempengerusikan mesyuarat Majlis Islam Sarawak (MIS) di sini, semalam.

Abang Johari yang juga Menteri Perumahan dan Urbanisasi merangkap Menteri Pelancongan, Kesenian dan Kebudayaan berkata kerajaan negeri mengambil inisiatif itu atas beberapa aduan berhubung proses penstrukturan semula Petronas termasuk memberhentikan pegawai-pegawainya dari Sarawak yang bekerja di negeri ini.

“Aduan mengatakan ramai pegawai bukan rakyat Sarawak masih dikekalkan berkhidmat di sini. Jadi (Timbalan Ketua Menteri) Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas telah menghubungi pegawai kanan Petronas meminta jumlah terkini rakyat Sarawak bekerja dengan syarikat itu.

“Buat sementara waktu, kami (kerajaan negeri) membeku permohonan permit pekerjaan (untuk Petronas) sehingga kami mendapat semua maklumat untuk disahkan,” jelasnya.

Sementara itu Timbalan Ketua Menteri yang juga Menteri Pembangunan Infrastruktur dan Pengangkutan Tan Sri Datuk Amar James Masing  berkata Petronas bertindak ‘kebudak-budakan’ jika membawa pegawai Sarawak pulang dari Semenanjung Malaysia atau luar negara untuk bekerja di negeri ini.

“Jika Petronas membawa pulang semua pekerjanya berasal dari Sarawak yang bekerja di Semenanjung Malaysia atau luar negara ia satu tindakan yang kebudak-budakan.

“Petronas akan mengalami kehilangan yang besar jika melakukannya. Kenapa? Ini kerana minyak dan gas berada dalam kawasan perairan Sarawak,” tegasnya.

Selain itu katanya, perkara diperjuangkan Sarawak itu adalah yang termaktub dalam Perjanjian Malaysia 1963 (MA63),” katanya.

Utusan Borneo
August 9, 2016, Tuesday

KUCHING: There have been concerns that Petronas might call back Sarawakians in the middle and top positions in Peninsular Malaysia and overseas, following the state government’s move to freeze all new applications for work permits for its personnel posted to the state.

However, Deputy Chief Minister Tan Sri Datuk Amar Dr James Masing opined that it would be ‘childish’ of Petronas to resort to such drastic action as the national oil company would stand to lose more if they did that.

“If Petronas calls back all Sarawakian middle and top level employees working in Kuala Lumpur (and overseas), that is ‘tit for tat’ and it is childish. Petronas will stand to lose more if they do it. Why? Because the oil and gas are in Sarawak waters!

“Besides, what Sarawak wants is what is ours as enshrined in Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63),” Masing told The Borneo Post yesterday.

Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas told The Borneo Post on Sunday that the measure to freeze all new applications for work permits for the national oil company’s personnel intending to work in the state was to ensure that Petronas would be fair and transparent in engaging with Sarawak regarding its operations in the state.

Uggah said the state government’s decision was prompted by complaints from Sarawakian Petronas officers, whose services were terminated or who were retrenched.

Assistant Minister of Housing Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah said the measure taken by the state government was definitely a good and welcome news to all Sarawakians, and showed that Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Adenan Satem was truly serious about this matter.

“I’m very happy to hear that all new employment permits from Petronas have been frozen until particulars sought by the state government are furnished. Petronas must know that their political master is not just the federal government, but the state government too.”

Abdul Karim, who is also Assistant Youth and Sports Minister, reiterated that Sarawakians had been ‘insulted’ by Petronas for too long and wanted this to be stopped.

“I have said that we do not want Petronas to ‘insult’ us. They have insulted us for far too long on this employment of Sarawakians matter and we want them to change their policy. Lest, we will have to tighten it on our side,” the Asajaya assemblyman said.

Sarawak Dayak Graduates Association (SDGA) president Dr Dusit Jaul said the association strongly supported the state government’s latest move, adding that it was within the state’s purview in the MA63.

Suarah Petroleum Group (SPG) president Hamim Yusuf said the group was very pleased to note the fast and positive response from the state government on this matter.

“Pursuant to SPG’s statement highlighting the issues faced by local Sarawakians pertaining to Petronas’ restructuring exercise; we are very pleased to note the fast and positive response from the state government on this matter.

“We believe that the state in its wisdom will do its best to resolve this matter with Petronas to address the adverse sentiments at the ground level. This issue is one of immediate concern and is separate, though a reflection of the broader issues, which includes the fundamental economic aspect of how Petronas has been treating the development of local oil and gas industry and job market.” Meanwhile, sources revealed that Petronas officials were expected to have a meeting with Uggah today.

credit: Borneo Post

MIRI: The immigration right exercised by the Sarawak government to protect the interest and welfare of its people due to Petroliam Nasional Berhad’s (Petronas) upstream restructuring exercise in the state should not be challenged.

In making a strong stand on this, Assistant Minister for Land and Air Transportation and Safety Datuk Lee Kim Shin said he welcomed the state government’s decision to freeze all new working permits of Petronas personnel from Peninsular

Malaysia in the state with immediate effect.

“For the welfare and interest of our people, Sarawak has the right to exercise its immigration power.

“They (Petronas) have to respect our immigration right which should not be challenged and questioned,” he stated when contacted by The Borneo Post yesterday.

Lee, who is also Assistant Minister of Tourism, said Petronas should give Sarawakians due consideration on employment in its operations in the state because they are familiar

with the environment and local culture.

On the Petronas upstream restructuring exercise, he strongly felt that Petronas should place the welfare and interest of its Sarawakian employees into high consideration.

“If they (Sarawakians) are qualified for the posts and have a lot of working experience, it is not right for the company to put them into the retrenchment list and let non-Sarawakians fill the vacancies.”

KUCHING: PKR Sarawak fully supports the state government’s move to freeze with immediate effect all work permit applications from Petronas to bring in outsiders when there are qualified Sarawakians for the job.

Its vice chairman, Batu Lintang assemblyman See Chee How, however, said the move should not be limited to new work permits.

“It should also cover renewal of work permits of Petronas staff members who are non-Sarawakians,” he said in a press statement yesterday.

See opined that the moratorium on the issuance of work permits should not just be to demand Petronas to be fair and transparent regarding its operations in the state.

“It should be one of the first steps by the state to demand for the rights and interests of Sarawak in the development of our natural resources as a corporate partner.”

See said for more than 40 years, Sarawakians had left it to Petronas to exclusively plan and decide on the exploitation and development of their petroleum resources, in return for royalty that had been inadequate.

Petronas is wholly-owned by the federal government, and none of the oil producing states in Malaysia has any shareholding in the national corporation.

“Hence, we should take actions to protect the employment opportunities of Sarawakians. We should also look at how best we can participate and benefit from the development of our state’s natural resources.”

See said with the revocation of the Emergency Orders and the Territorial Sea Act 2012, which is void for unconstitutionality, Sarawak is now in full control over all the natural resources within its territorial boundary.

“We have the trump card and all the leverage to demand all the rights and entitlements that are ours, as determined by the founding fathers in this country.”

While Petronas might send some of its officials to meet Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas on the issue of work permits, See said the state should not make any concession piecemeal.

“(Instead), the state should demand that the federal government meet with the state government to renegotiate and agree on the new arrangements to jointly develop petroleum resources in Sarawak.”

See suggested that negotiation and agreement be reached on the following matters:

• The terms and conditions of the tripartite Petroleum Development Agreement between the state government, the federal government, and Petronas should be revisited and negotiated anew;

• Sarawak should be the ultimate decision-maker in determining the shares of equity and direct participation of Sarawak state corporations in the new production sharing contracts (PSCs), which are involved in the production and development of oil and gas and related products in Sarawak;

• Sarawak should be the equity shareholders and Sarawak state-owned corporations should be a partner in existing PSCs, which are coming up for extension; and

• Petronas should immediately set up a branch campus of its Universiti Teknologi Petronas (Petronas Technology University) in Sarawak to ensure that more and better opportunities are given to Sarawakians for the pursuit of knowledge and expertise for the advancement of engineering, science and technology in the oil and gas industry.

See said the state government must now seize the opportunity to turn the state from a passive recipient of petroleum royalty to a serious participant in the oil and gas industry to ensure that the state could best utilise its natural resources to develop the state, independent of federal allocations.

“Being the decision-maker in determining the development of our natural resources will also allow the state to conserve our depletable and exhaustible natural resources and to ensure that it is sustainable for the benefits of our future generations.”

Credit- Borneo Post

KUCHING: The state government’s move to issue a moratorium on new applications for work permits from Petronas personnel from outside Sarawak who intend to work in Sarawak speaks volumes about the not so close relationship between the federal and state governments when it comes to the distribution of resources between Sarawak and Peninsular Malaysia.

State DAP chairman Chong Chieng Jen said the fact that the state government had to go to this extent just so that Petronas would review its unfair employment policy towards Sarawak showed that the so-called sweet and cordial relationship between Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Adenan Satem and Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak had gotten nowhere when it came to the demand of state rights.

“By now, it is hoped that Adenan has woken from his own make-believe that their (Adenan and Najib) soft and cordial relationship will get him the autonomy and rights for Sarawak.

“The cold and hard reality is that, the federal government and Najib need as much resources and revenues for their extravagance and Sarawak has a lot to offer. As such, it is impossible for Najib to relinquish this source of revenue,” he said in a press statement yesterday.

In view of this, Chong, who is Bandar Kuching MP and Kota Sentosa assemblyman, opined that the Sarawak state government should start taking a hard position and tough action against the federal government when it comes to negotiation for Sarawak’s rights.

“At present, there are only two tools that the Sarawak government has some leverage over the federal government, namely the immigration autonomy and the threat to withdraw its support for Umno and quit national BN.

“We hope, in the interest of Sarawak, the state government should give these two tools serious consideration.”

Chong said as early as April 27 last year, he had suggested in the Sarawak State Assembly that the state’s immigration power be used by the state government to force the issue of 20 per cent oil and gas royalty.

In quoting the Hansard, Chong said he had then said: “I will give you two suggestions. The first one, the first suggestion is to use our immigration power and cancel the work permit of all the West Malaysians currently employed at the executive and managerial level in the office of Petronas, MLNG and the subsidiary companies in Sarawak.

“Cancel their work permit. They cannot continue to work in Sarawak. This will put a halt, maybe, a stop to its operation production until the matter is finally sorted out. It may cause some loss of revenue but it is better to put a halt to the production than to allow the continuous extraction when we are only getting five per cent royalty. After all, if the operation were stopped, oil and gas will still remain in our soil.”

Three days ago, Chong said he repeated the same call albeit only in respect of the unfair employment policy of Petronas in Sarawak whereby only 39 per cent of the management positions and 46 per cent of the middle management positions were filled by Sarawakians in Petronas’ operation in Sarawak.

“DAP Sarawak welcomes the state government’s adoption of DAP’s suggestion to use the immigration autonomy to force Petronas to view seriously the demands of Sarawak in terms of fairer employment policies and allocation of resources. I am glad that the Sarawak Government adopted the suggestion made three days ago.”

KUCHING: Sarawakians are capable of filling any post in Petronas if given the chance, said Anselm Diye, a contract consultant trainer at Petronas Carigali Sdn Bhd.

For it to happen, he said the government would have to bring Petronas to the discussion table.

“What the authority should do is create a win-win situation by going back to the basics, like going to the drawing board and work out a road map. After that, implement the proposals for the benefit of all, especially Sarawakians,” he told The Borneo Post here yesterday.

The PhD student of Universiti Malaysia Kelantan (UMK), specialising in Entrepreneur and Business, noted that generally Sarawakians were not given a fair chance at the top and senior management level of the national oil corporation.

“There are capable locals with years of experience in operations and good academics. Take me, for instance. I am more than capable of handling human resources issues.”

He is optimistic there would be a positive outcome soon following the state government’s decision to put a moratorium on all new applications for work permits by Petronas personnel who intended to work in Sarawak.

Anselm also hoped the state government would be able to clinch a more comprehensive and long term deal with Petronas as most of the oil and gas are found in Sarawak.

“When I completed my studies, I would also like to work with Petronas Sarawak, if given the chance. So, we hope that all the relevant authorities would put into place a fair play mechanism so that everyone will have a chance to work and climb the ladder in Petronas.”

Anselm, 52, who hails from Kampung Krusen in Serian, has been in the oil and gas industry for more than 30 years. Before joining Petronas, he was with Shell Sarawak for 25 years.

On Sunday, Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas said the state government had frozen with immediate effect all new applications for work permits by Petronas personnel who intended to work in Sarawak.

The move, Uggah explained, was to ensure the national oil corporation would be fair and transparent in engaging with Sarawak regarding its operations in the state

Credit- Borneo Post

http://www.theborneopost.com/2016/08/09/lee-supports-move-to-freeze-new-work-permits-for-non-sarawakian-petronas-staff/

http://www.theborneopost.com/2016/08/09/will-petronas-strike-back/

http://www.theborneopost.com/2016/08/09/freeze-on-work-permits-a-fair-move-abg-jo/

http://www.theborneopost.com/2016/08/09/bring-petronas-to-the-discussion-table-says-trainer/

http://www.theborneopost.com/2016/08/09/chong-petronas-issue-raises-question-on-state-federal-ties/

http://www.theborneopost.com/2016/08/09/petronas-staffing-issue-govt-urged-to-do-more/

Proposed the establishment of Sarawak's Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development

Sarawak should consider seriously the establishment of the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development with a dedicated Minister because the scope covers under this ministry is very wide.

This new ministry should be established with the aimed to promote the development, strategically managed and safeguard the sustainnable exploitation of the State's natural resources, that includes the O&G.