‘Petronas wants to do more for human capital development’

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Raiha (centre) interacts with some pupils at SK Orang Kaya Muda Pakeri.

SIBU: National petroleum corporation Petronas is committed to investing more towards human capital development, especially in Sarawak, as shown by its sponsored school hostel project in Daro District.

The ‘Asrama Harian Luar Bandar’ (AHLB) project slated for SK Orang Kaya Muda Pakeri in Kampung Paloh is part of Petronas’ corporate social responsibility (CSR) programmes focusing on investments for human capital development.

The other major project under this CSR is the construction of Mara Junior Science College (MRSM) in Bintulu.

According to Petronas senior vice-president (group human resource management) Datuk Raiha Azni Abdul Rahman, Petronas is working closely with the Sarawak government and Education Department of Sarawak in implementing these projects.

“For us in Petronas, such investment is more about the pupils (of SK Orang Kaya Muda Pakeri), for them to be more excited in studying at primary school, with an environment more conducive to learning.

“We want them to have more interest in pursuing good academic qualifications, (and also) to have fun while learning. This is our intention,” she said when met during a visit to the AHLB project site at the school in Kampung Paloh on Saturday.

Sarawak Education Department deputy director Abang Mat Ali Abang Masagus, Tanjung Manis District Officer Udin Bujang and Petronas Sarawak general manager Shamsul Taha were also present.

On the MRSM Bintulu project, Raiha said the expected completion date would be 2021.

“It is a bigger infrastructure project – one that we have never done before. These are the two projects (including the AHLB project) for Sarawak that we are committed to,” she said.

The SK Orang Kaya Muda Pakeri hostel project is among Petronas’ two major CSR projects slated for human capital development – the other is the development of MRSM Bintulu.

Meanwhile, SK Orang Kaya Muda Pakeri headmaster Hisyamuddin Ahmad Rani expressed his gratitude to Petronas for contributing new hostel blocks for the 23 schoolboys and 33 schoolgirls, from Primary 1 to 6.

“The new hostels would certainly provide comfort to them, and also motivate them to study harder.

“Not only that, the provision of related facilities such as a dining hall, separate sick-bays for boys and girls, and warden rooms, would greatly impact the whole school,” he said.

Hisyamuddin hoped that the cooperation between Petronas and the school would continue even after the completion of the hostels.

“We hope that such assistance would not stop there. We hope that Petronas could also channel their expertise, probably in the form of education, to the pupils here in the area of petro-science,” he added.