Adenan thanks PM for helping to solve Petronas staffing woes

Sarawak Chief Minister Tan Sri Adenan Satem today expressed his gratefulness to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak for helping to solve problems pertaining to Petronas' job recruitment involving Sarawakians.

"With Najib's assistance, we even managed to have a Sarawakian appointed as Petronas board member.

"The vacancy had been there for 40 years and we filled it just recently after we had discussions with Najib our Apai Besai Malaysia (Malaysia's top leader in the Iban language) and Petronas," he said at a special Malaysia Day gathering with over 1,000 Petronas employees in the state.

The gathering which was also attended by Petronas Chairman Tan Sri Mohd Sidek Hassan and its President and Group Chief Executive Officer Datuk Wan Zulkiflee Wan Ariffin was held at the Bintulu Civic Centre.

Adenan said Najib too had helped on six other issues, on education, training, job and business opportunities for Sarawakians and in the construction of two petro-chemical plants in the state.

"I am happy to note that Najib has been very appreciative and understanding over our situation and aspirations in getting a fair share in the exploitation of our resources.

"If the federal government had chosen to act differently, then the talk of sharing oil and gas income would be just meaningless," he said.

He said there were a few more issues that he would pursue with the federal government like amending the Territorial Waters Act 2012 and the Continental Shelf Act 1966.

Adenan aslo thanked Petronas for its understanding of the state's situation in its efforts to catch up (with the more advanced states in the federation). -- Bernama