KUCHING: More than 100 outstanding Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) 2024 school leavers from Sarawak have been awarded PETRONAS education sponsorships worth RM28 million under its flagship scholarship programme, Powering Knowledge.
The recipients, selected from nearly 9,000 applicants nationwide, were chosen through a stringent process based on academic excellence, leadership potential and active participation in co-curricular activities.
They will pursue undergraduate studies in disciplines such as chemical engineering, petroleum engineering, economics, law and other industry-related fields at Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS (UTP) as well as top universities in the United Kingdom and Australia.
In her speech during the handing over ceremony to the recipients on Tuesday (July 29), PETRONAS Senior General Manager of Human Capital Expertise, Group Human Resource Management, Akmal Niza Ahmad said the scholarships mark the beginning of a hopeful journey for Sarawak’s bright young minds.
“At PETRONAS, education has always been a key pillar in our nation-building efforts.
“Through Powering Knowledge, we support various initiatives that uplift Malaysians from all backgrounds, including the B40 group.
“This reflects our long-term commitment to nurturing future talent for PETRONAS, the industry and the nation,” she said.
She added that beyond academic paths, PETRONAS also recognises and supports students with strong interests in technical and vocational fields.
“Through the Vocational Institution Sponsorship and Training Assistance (VISTA) programme, we have collaborated with nine Technical, Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions in Sarawak, producing more than 2,000 trainees to date.
“With a total investment of more than RM8.5 million, this initiative has successfully nurtured job-ready graduates who contribute directly to the oil and gas sector,” she added.
In the meantime, Akmal said VISTA has since evolved into Vocational Integrated Skilled Talent Advancement (VISTA i-plus), designed to foster a whole-of-industry collaborative model, ensuring that all relevant stakeholders are actively involved in the skilled worker development programme.
“The pilot initiative was launched in the southern region of Peninsular Malaysia and planned for nationwide expansion, including Sarawak soon,” she said.
Officiated by Women, Early Childhood and Community Well-being Development Minister Datuk Seri Fatimah Abdullah, who presented the awards to recipients on behalf of Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg, the Powering Knowledge education sponsorship forms part of PETRONAS’ broader effort to support national human capital development.
Since the launch of the PETRONAS Education Sponsorship Programme (PESP) in 1975, more than 40,000 Malaysian students have benefitted, including over 1,300 from Sarawak since 2003.
