Saau Kakok appointed CEO of Petros

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Abang Johari (second left) arrives for the launch of Petros. He is accompanied by Hamid (second right), Morshidi (right), Assistant Minister of Corporate Affairs Abdullah Saidol (left), Petros director Dato Mohammad Medan Abdullah (third right) and others.

KUCHING: The newlylaunched Petroleum Sarawak Berhad (Petros) will be helmed by Saau Kakok, who has been officially appointed as the chief executive officer (CEO) of the company.

Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg said Saau, a Bidayuh, had spent almost 40 years of his career in the oil and gas industry, his last post being the vice president for Asia of a United States-based independent oil company.

“Saau is an experienced and professional individual in the oil and gas fraternity who will lead a competent and high integrity Petros operational team.

“Petros is fortunate to gain Saau’s experience, talent and vision. I am confident that he is the right person to lead Petros into the future, adding value to the careers of talented young Sarawakians while making Petros the best place to work,” he said when announcing the Sarawakian’s appointment at the official launch of Petros at a leading hotel here on Tuesday.

Saau’s appointment, he noted, proved that Sarawak has a good pool of talents with the experience and expertise in the oil and gas industry.

Abang Johari introduces Saau as the CEO during his keynote address at the launch of Petros.

“Their involvement will be further enhanced with participation in contracts and supply of services offered by Petros,” he said and assured that the state government will issue guidelines to Petros to ensure greater and more meaningful participation by Sarawakians and Sarawak companies in this sector.

In addition to Saau, Abang Johari also said that Datin Josephine Hilary Dom had been appointed as an additional member of Petros’ board of directors early this year.

“Josephine is a respected individual in the field of finance and accounting and has been around in the Malaysian corporate world for more than three decades now.”

Petros, led by its chairman Tan Sri Datuk Amar Hamid Bugo, now has five board members; namely Josephine, Datu Zuraimi Sabki, Sharbini Suhaili, Heng Hock Cheng and Datuk Mohammad Medan Abdullah.

Meanwhile, Abang Johari said Petronas has been exporting liquefied natural gas from Sarawak since 1975, and the revenues so derived have contributed tremendously to the national economy and the development of the Federation.

“By the exercise of our constitutional rights, the state government is fulfilling the aspirations of the people of Sarawak that the additional revenues from oil and gas will accelerate industrial development and economic progress to enable Malaysia as a whole to achieve a high income economy by the year 2030.”

To this, he said the state government would like to see Petros work alongside Petronas both in the upstream and downstream sectors of the oil and gas industry.

“Both companies can contribute significantly towards the advancement of the oil and gas industry in Malaysia and the economic progress and prosperity of our nation,” he said.

Among those attending the ceremony were Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas, Utilities Minister Dato Sri Dr Stephen Rundi Utom, Local Government and Housing Minister Datuk Dr Sim Kui Hian, Tourism, Arts, Culture, Youth and Sports Minister Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah, State Secretary Tan Sri Datuk Amar Morshidi Abdul Ghani and cabinet ministers.

Abang Johari greets guests upon his arrival.