Sarawak's own oil & gas company officially set up

KUCHING: Sarawak’s wholly state-owned oil and gas company, Petros, has been officially formed, Chief Minister Datuk Amar Abang Johari Tun Openg announced on Sunday.
He said all board members of the company have been appointed, drawn from Sarawakian professionals with wide experience in the oil and gas industry, and none of them are politicians.
“Tonight, I want to inform that we have officially formed our oil company, Petros,” Abang Johari said, to the applause of the crowd, when addressing state ministers, staff members of his ministries and office during an appreciation dinner organised by his office at a leading hotel here.
The chief minister, who was accompanied by his wife Datin Amar Juma’ani Tun Tuanku Bujang, however, did not reveal the name of the board members, its chairman or CEO of the company.
The formation of Petros is an unprecedented step taken by the state government to enable Sarawak to actively participate in the extraction of oil and gas in Sarawak while still pursuing its request for a 20% royalty from national oil company Petroliam Nasional Bhd (Petronas).
Abang Johari also said a CEO has been appointed for the newly formed Development Bank of Sarawak (DBoS) and the bank will start operations soon. He did not name the new CEO.
He said all the board members of DBoS are professionals and non-politicians under the chairmanship of Tan Sri Mohamad Morshidi Abdul Ghani, who is also the state secretary.
On another note, Abang Johari told the audience steps are being taken to strengthen the state’s human capacity by giving Sarawakians the opportunities to pursue postgraduate studies locally and overseas.
He said Sarawak Foundation, of which he is chairman, will increase scholarships and loans to Sarawak students who are eligible to be admitted to local as well as foreign universities for postgraduate studies.
“A state research council under the chairmanship of the Minister of Education, Science and Technological Research will be set up to oversee all future research efforts and how they can benefit the state,” he said, adding that he has personally instructed that research be carried out in collaboration with Swinburne University on prototyping an oil palm fruit harvesting machine.
He thanked all the ministries for their support in the pursuit of new policies, approaches and technologies to transform Sarawak into a digital economy under his leadership.
The reception was held to coincide with Abang Johari’s 67th birthday that fell on Aug 4. – Bernama