PETRONAS Allocates RM28 Million to Sponsor Outstanding Sabah Students

KOTA KINABALU, 4 August 2025 – PETRONAS today awarded education sponsorships to more than 100 outstanding students from Sabah, with total sponsorship amounting to RM28 million under its Powering Knowledge programme.

These 2024 SPM school leavers, who come from diverse backgrounds, received full sponsorships to pursue studies in fields such as chemical engineering, petroleum engineering, mechanical engineering, marketing, and other relevant courses at Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS as well as top local and international institutions in the United Kingdom, Australia, Japan, and South Korea.

The selection process was conducted rigorously from nearly 9,000 applications nationwide, based on academic excellence, leadership potential, and active involvement in extracurricular activities.

The sponsorship award ceremony was officiated by Sabah State Assembly Speaker Datuk Seri Panglima Kadzim M Yahya, representing Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Panglima Haji Hajiji Haji Noor, accompanied by PETRONAS Senior Vice President of Malaysia Petroleum Management, Datuk Ir Bacho Pilong.

In his speech, Datuk Seri Panglima Hajiji expressed his gratitude and congratulations to PETRONAS for its continued commitment to developing human capital in Sabah through quality education and skills training programmes.

“The State Government, through the Sabah Maju Jaya 1.0 Development Plan, places strong emphasis on human capital development. I am confident that by investing in the education and empowerment of Sabah’s youth, PETRONAS is helping to lay the foundation for a more resilient, competitive, and inclusive future for the state. Through this continued effort, we are witnessing more Sabahan youths entering the skilled sector, thereby helping the development of the state,” he said.

In addition to the undergraduate education sponsorships, the ceremony also honoured 20 new recipients of sponsorships for the Malaysian Skills Diploma programme in Industrial Instrumentation and Control at the Kimanis Petroleum Training Centre (KTC).

The event also witnessed the official awarding of the Code of Practice for TVET Programme Accreditation (COPTPA) from the Department of Skills Development to KTC for its diploma programme. This recognition affirms that the skills training provided by KTC meets national standards and industry requirements.

PETRONAS also awarded minor scholarships to another 29 secondary school students in Sabah for the 2025/2026 session, bringing the total number of recipients this year to 40. Since its introduction in 2023 through a collaboration between PETRONAS Floating LNG, the Sabah State Education Department, and Yayasan Sabah, some 120 students have benefited from the initiative.

As a native of Sabah, Datuk Ir Bacho expressed pride in seeing the state's younger generation move forward with confidence and receive recognition for their efforts and achievements.

He said, “PETRONAS believes that education is the most valuable investment. It shapes minds, builds character, and paves the way towards a better future. PETRONAS is committed to continuing its support for Sabah’s aspirations in building an inclusive and sustainable future.”

Since 1975, more than 40,000 students nationwide have received PETRONAS education sponsorships. In Sabah, PETRONAS actively implements various educational and skills training initiatives to expand access to quality education and to build the capacity of a competitive local workforce.

PETRONAS will continue to work hand-in-hand with the Sabah State Government and other strategic partners to drive human capital development for a more prosperous, inclusive, and sustainable future for the state.