Latest news with #Petronas
The Sun
17 hours ago
- Business
- The Sun
110 Sarawak students receive RM28m Petronas education sponsorships
KUCHING: A total of 110 Sarawakian students have been awarded Petronas education sponsorships worth RM28 million to pursue higher education at leading universities in Malaysia and abroad. The recipients, selected from nearly 9,000 applicants, demonstrated outstanding academic performance, leadership qualities, and active participation in co-curricular activities during their 2024 Sijil Peperiksaan Malaysia (SPM) examinations. The students will enrol in courses such as chemical engineering, petroleum engineering, economics, and law at institutions including Universiti Teknologi Petronas (UTP) and universities in the UK and Australia. The awards were presented by Sarawak Minister for Women, Childhood, and Community Wellbeing Development Datuk Seri Fatimah Abdullah on behalf of Sarawak Premier Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg. Fatimah expressed gratitude for Petronas' long-standing commitment to nurturing Sarawakian talent. 'The relationship between Petronas and Sarawak is deeply rooted, and their efforts reflect a strong understanding of human capital value,' she said. She added that the initiative supports Sarawak's Post-COVID Development Strategy, aiming for high-income status by 2030 through education and skills development. Petronas senior general manager Akmal Niza Ahmad highlighted the company's dedication to empowering future leaders. 'Through Powering Knowledge, we invest in diverse programmes to benefit Malaysians at all levels,' she said. Since 1975, Petronas has sponsored over 40,000 students nationwide, including more than 1,300 from Sarawak since 2003. – Bernama
Malay Mail
17 hours ago
- Health
- Malay Mail
Protect children's health, keep activities indoors, Sarawak minister tells schools
KUCHING, July 29 — Schools in Sarawak have been advised to reduce outdoor activities to avoid the risk of students developing health issues related to the ongoing haze and hot weather conditions. State Women, Children and Community Wellbeing Minister (KPWK) Datuk Seri Fatimah Abdullah said that if there is a need to conduct extracurricular activities involving students, they should be held indoors to avoid exposure to the unhealthy air quality. 'It is common practice during hazy conditions to avoid outdoor activities. The current air quality is not safe due to the haze,' she told reporters after the Petronas Empowering Knowledge 2025 Education Sponsorship Award ceremony today. She emphasised that co-curricular and sports programmes should preferably be conducted indoors, particularly to safeguard students who suffer from respiratory conditions such as asthma. She advised the public, especially schoolchildren, to resume the use of face masks as a preventive measure against the adverse effects of the haze. 'Children with asthma need special attention, and we strongly encourage them to wear face masks as a precaution,' she said. She added that schools have been instructed to continuously monitor the Air Pollution Index (API) readings and take appropriate action based on the latest data. Meanwhile, it is reported that air quality in Sarawak remained at moderate levels across all 18 monitoring stations this morning, according to the Natural Resources and Environment Board (NREB). As of 8 am, Lundu recorded the highest API reading at 88, up from 79 at 4 pm yesterday. Kuching maintained a reading of 74, unchanged from the same time the previous day. — Bernama
Barnama
18 hours ago
- Business
- Barnama
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.
Malay Mail
2 days ago
- Business
- Malay Mail
Caring for the carers: A social enterprise steps in to assist Malaysia's ‘sandwich gen'
KUALA LUMPUR, July 28 — Juggling work, parenthood and elderly care, Malaysia's 'sandwich generation' often faces burnout due to a lack of proper support systems. Caught between responsibilities, many have been forced to quit their jobs so they can care for their family full-time because there are few accessible alternatives. And then the Covid-19 pandemic happened. For Teman Malaysia co-founder Ezzati Nasir, the time during the movement control order (MCO) highlighted a crucial need for these carers – caregivers. 'We saw a lot of problems that occurred among the seniors because their children were not able to go back to their parents. 'So that was our focus at the time,' she told Malay Mail in a recent interview. Ezza Nasir, chief executive officer and co-founder of Teman Malaysia. — Picture courtesy of Yayasan Hasanah Turning challenges into opportunities Teman Malaysia was born in 2020 through an incubator programme called Social Enterprise Education Laboratory, powered by Petronas and Tata Consultancy Services. Although there were already caregiving services in the market, the demand far outweighed the supply. 'We were part of the programme that was a place where social enterprises that solve social problems were put together, at the time also helping to solve youth unemployment,' Ezzati said. 'We were then looking for ways on how we can create a business that is able to create job opportunities to reduce youth unemployment rate at the time. 'That's when we coupled the problem together; seniors who don't have anyone to help them, and those who are in need of work/job opportunities.' She said jobs like food delivery during the pandemic were mostly taken up by men, leaving women with fewer options. Teman created an opportunity for unemployed women, especially as caregiving roles in Malaysian households typically fall on women. 'Our main objective was to incorporate the whole seniors ecosystem, however we're not trying to provide healthcare services,' Ezzati said. 'We were focused on seniors who are still able but their children are not confident enough to let them do things on their own, so they just need a teman around. 'That's how the Teman name came about.' How Teman works Unlike nursing services or retirement homes, Teman supports independent seniors who just need help with tasks like going to appointments, grocery shopping, or simply someone to chat with. 'I initially wanted to create a pool of Temanians who could accompany seniors who wanted to do the fun stuff like sports, recreational activities, eating and shopping. 'But as the team grew, we noticed that in Malaysia the need for medically related caregivers was still the main demand,' Ezzati said. Teman started with 10 caregivers. Today, over 300 people have been trained, with 40 to 60 actively working, mainly in the Klang Valley. 'One of our first training partners was the National Cancer Society Malaysia, recognising that many caregiving skills overlap with those used in palliative or long-term care,' said Ezzati. The enterprise is working on a 'travelling Temanian' package for families who want to travel with elderly parents who need support. 'It is my dream to be able to offer this type of service to help ease a family when they are travelling with seniors, but currently we don't have full-time caregivers. 'For now, we have Temanians who apart from being a caregiver, they help support an existing caregiver, allowing the main caregiver some time off and personal time,' Ezzati said. From just 10 people initially, Teman now has over 300 trained Temanians with 40 to 60 actively working, mainly in the Klang Valley. — Picture courtesy of Yayasan Hasanah Teman operates on a pay-per-hour model, with short-term and long-term packages ranging from six hours to up to 10 hours daily, in 20-day booking blocks. 'Seventy per cent of the fees go directly to the Temanians, with the remaining 30 per cent sustaining the organisation,' Ezzati said. With funding support from Yayasan Hasanah, Teman offers subsidised care for underserved seniors and families. 'Those referred by the Department of Social Welfare or zakat agencies receive services for free, funded through a blend of sponsorship and cross-subsidisation. 'Every month, we allocate 20 hours of free service for those who can't afford it. 'We're also exploring how by offering slightly premium services could help fund the cost of care for less fortunate clients,' Ezzati said. Call for regulation When Teman first launched, Ezzati said Malaysians didn't see caregiving as a real job. 'Before Teman started, the climate at the time was that this is not something many Malaysians would like to do. 'They don't look at this as a career opportunity. Formerly they would rather pay a domestic helper to take up this role, but now we can see a prospect of this becoming an income earner. 'We've seen many women who had to stop work to care for their children or sick parents, now their parents are no longer here, they already have the skill set to be a caregiver, why not join Teman and earn an income?' Despite growing demand, Ezzati said Malaysia still lacks a clear national caregiving framework. Her team is now working with non-profit groups like Kendana, and government agencies, seeking regulations for the welfare of caregivers and those on the receiving end.
The Sun
3 days ago
- Business
- The Sun
PM Anwar stresses fair development and welfare in national agenda
MUAR: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has reaffirmed that Malaysia's development agenda must not compromise the rights and welfare of its people. Speaking at the launch of the National Month and Fly the Jalur Gemilang 2025 Campaign at Dataran Tanjung Emas, he emphasised justice and holistic balance as core principles. 'Let's not develop while destructing. We construct buildings, industries, technologies, economic zones... but the people are oppressed, neglected. This is not true development,' Anwar said. He stressed that sustainable economic growth must benefit all segments of society, not just the wealthy. Anwar cited the Quranic principle of *ummatan wasatan* (balanced nation), which integrates justice in faith, knowledge, and material well-being. He also called for fair fiscal policies, including progressive taxation targeting high-income earners and profitable corporations rather than burdening the poor. 'We cannot tax the poor. If schools need to be repaired, where must the money come from? We impose taxes on the rich and companies making millions in profits,' he said. He urged major corporations like Petronas, Tenaga Nasional Berhad, and Maybank to align their wage policies with their profits. 'If a company makes RM1 million profit, but pays its workers RM1,500... how can? We have already raised the minimum wage from RM1,200 to RM1,500, and now to RM1,700. We will continue to do so gradually,' Anwar added. The event was attended by Communications Minister Datuk Fahmi Fadzil, Johor Menteri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi, and other senior officials. Anwar reiterated that national independence carries the responsibility of equitable wealth distribution, ensuring prosperity for all Malaysians. - Bernama
