KOTA KINABALU, Aug 26 — Petronas has launched the Sabah-Petronas Human Capital Development Agenda (HCDA) to intensify joint initiatives with the Sabah government and rally greater collaboration among stakeholders in building a sustainable talent pipeline for the state and the nation.
Petronas in a statement today said the HCDA would establish a structured and innovative framework of initiatives curated to support Sabahan talents through different stages of learning to reach their full potential in contributing towards the advancement of the state, particularly for Sabah’s energy sector.
The agenda was presented today by Petronas chairman Tan Sri Mohd Bakke Salleh to Sabah Local Government and Housing Minister Datuk Seri Masidi Manjun, who is also the state’s Second Finance Minister, at the HCDA launch event here.
Mohd Bakke was quoted as saying in the statement that the company would work with the state government to co-create a human capital development ecosystem that would continue building a robust talent pipeline for the state’s growth in the energy landscape.
“With the launch of the HCDA, we hope to nurture an ecosystem that effectively inculcates interest, provides equal opportunities and advances the expertise of Sabahan talents. With programmes and facilities in place, I am certain that even more Sabahan talents will rise to the occasion to support Sabah’s energy aspirations,” he said.
Focusing on the learning of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM), the HCDA is aimed at nurturing knowledgeable and skilled talents to support the delivery of the state’s social, economic, and sustainability goals.
Petronas also announced that over 100 Sabahan top achievers in the 2021 SPM examination had been offered the Petronas Education Sponsorship Programme (PESP) this year.
Since 2003, 568 outstanding Sabahan students, including 177 currently in the programme, have benefitted from sponsorships valued at RM53.2 million, to pursue a range of subjects at UTP and other renowned universities locally and abroad.
Meanwhile, Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor in a separate statement said the HCDA was a strong commitment from Petronas to contribute back to the state holistically and comprehensively in terms of capacity and human capital development.
He said the sponsorship from Petronas would open up opportunities for Sabahans to pursue further studies at prestigious universities in the country as well as abroad, and that the state’s government-related agencies and companies would give full support to the agenda.
“To ensure the effectiveness and success of this agenda, the entire eco-system needs to unite and join forces to ensure that the programme is carried out as planned, and we are always ready to give and receive feedback for improvement,” he said.
Hajiji said the HCDA was also an important agenda of Petronas in its efforts to increase the level of education and human capital development to upgrade the socio-economic status of the local population, thereby helping the development of Sabah, especially in the provision of skilled manpower.
