KUCHING: PETRONAS has committed approximately RM28 million in educational sponsorships this year to over 100 outstanding young Sarawakians to pursue higher education locally and abroad.
The recipients, comprising high-achieving 2025 Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) school leavers, were selected from more than 7,000 applicants through a rigorous process based on academic excellence, leadership potential, and active co-curricular involvement.
They will pursue tertiary education in various disciplines including engineering, science, technology, data analytics, business, and social sciences at Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS (UTP) as well as leading universities in Malaysia, the United Kingdom, Canada and Australia.
PETRONAS senior general manager for Education and Human Capital Investment Akmal Niza Ahmad emphasised the company’s commitment to talent development.
“For PETRONAS, supporting these education sponsorship recipients manifests our continuous commitment to developing human capital and nurturing future national talent.
“Every investment in knowledge is a strategic investment for a more sustainable future,” she said in her speech during PETRONAS Powering Knowledge Education Sponsorship (PPKES) 2026 event at the Pullman Hotel today.
Reminding recipients that the sponsorship carries a deep sense of accountability, Akmal Niza urged them to uphold high ethical standards throughout their academic journey.
“The opportunity you receive today is not merely a reward, but a responsibility. Carry with you the pride of your families and the trust placed on your shoulders by society,” she added.
Beyond tertiary sponsorships, PETRONAS continues to strengthen Sarawak’s educational landscape through early-stage academic, STEM and technical training initiatives.
This year, its Discover PETRONAS @ Schools programme benefited more than 350 students in Subis and Simunjan. Additionally, the distribution of 60 Mobile STEM Kits across all 30 districts in Sarawak is set to reach up to 1,030 schools and over 157,000 students.
Teacher professional development has also been prioritized, with Yayasan PETRONAS benefiting more than 300 educators in the state since 2019.
Through its Vocational Institution Sponsorship and Training Assistance (VISTA) programme, PETRONAS has produced over 2,000 trainees in collaboration with nine TVET institutions across Sarawak, backed by an investment exceeding RM8.5 million.
Since its inception in 1975, the overall PPKES initiative has benefited more than 40,000 Malaysian students nationwide.
