110 Sarawakian Students Receive Petronas Education Sponsorships

KUCHING, July 29 (Bernama) -- A total of 110 Sarawakian students received Petronas education sponsorships totalling RM28 million to pursue their tertiary studies at top universities locally and abroad.

These students who excelled in 2024 Sijil Peperiksaan Malaysia (SPM) examination received the flagship Petronas Powering Knowledge education sponsorship drawn from nearly 9,000 applicants, and they were selected for their academic excellence, leadership potential, and active involvement in co-curricular activities. 

They will be pursuing studies in chemical engineering, petroleum engineering, economics, law, and other industry-related courses at Universiti Teknologi Petronas (UTP) and other leading local and overseas universities in the United Kingdom and Australia.

Sarawak Minister for Women, Childhood and Community Wellbeing Development Datuk Seri Fatimah Abdullah presented the awards on behalf of Sarawak Premier Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg at a ceremony held here today. Also present was Petronas senior general manager (human capital expertise) Akmal Niza Ahmad.

In her speech, Fatimah, on behalf of the state government, thanked Petronas for their continuous support and commitment to developing Sarawakian talent. 

“The relationship between Petronas and Sarawak is long-standing and deeply rooted, and the efforts by the former consistently demonstrated a deep understanding of the true value of human capital,” she said.

The minister said that by investing in the education and development of Sarawakian youth, Petronas is also helping the state to lay the foundation for a future that is resilient, competitive and inclusive.

“This aligns strongly with the state’s Post-COVID Development Strategy, which aims to position Sarawak as a high-income and developed state by 2030. 

“At the heart of this vision is our focus on building talent and expanding opportunities across all levels of education -- from early childhood to tertiary, from academic pathways to technical and vocational training,” Fatimah said. 

Meanwhile, Akmal Niza said that through the Powering Knowledge initiatives, they supported a wide spectrum of programmes that empower Malaysians from all walks of life. 

“This is part of our commitment, reinforcing how we continue to invest in future talents for Petronas, the industry and the nation,” she said. 

Since its inception in 1975, Petronas education sponsorships have benefitted more than 40,000 Malaysian students, including more than 1,300 Sarawakian students who benefitted from the sponsorship since 2003.

-- BERNAMA