PETRONAS chairman Tan Sri Datuk Seri Mohd Bakke Salleh (sitting, centre) with other special guests posing with the students after the PETRONAS Education Sponsorship Award Presentation Ceremony 2023 at KLCC on Saturday. — IZZRAFIQ ALIAS/The Star
PETRONAS, the national energy conglomerate, recently awarded its education sponsorships to high-achieving Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) students from all over Malaysia under its Powering Knowledge programme.
This year’s sponsorship, valued at RM340 mil, will enable these recipients to pursue their tertiary education at leading local institutions including Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS, as well as overseas universities in the US, UK, Australia, New Zealand, China, and Japan.
Beginning this year, PETRONAS is also extending its sponsorship opportunities for scholars to study in South Korea.
During a ceremony held at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre (KLCC), PETRONAS chairman Tan Sri Datuk Seri Mohd Bakke Salleh and the company's senior vice president (project delivery and technology) Datuk Bacho Pilong – a PETRONAS scholar himself, presented the sponsorship to the recipients in front of a 2,000-strong crowd.
Mohd Bakke said that PETRONAS ensures that the courses offered are not only relevant to the business, but can also provide students access to leaders in critical fields related to sustainability.
Mohd Bakke highlighted that PETRONAS has always believed in investing in education and human capital development to enrich and create a sustainable source of talented individuals who can contribute towards progressing the company and the nation.
“We support their aspiration for quality education and are dedicated to empowering them to excel in a rapidly evolving world,” he said of the Powering Knowledge programme.
As PETRONAS expands its portfolio to encompass a broader spectrum of energy solutions including renewable energy, hydrogen, and green mobility solutions, the company requires a workforce with new skills to meet fast-changing business needs.
This year, PETRONAS received over 10,000 applications from students across the country. After months of rigorous evaluation, 600 individuals who demonstrated outstanding academic performance as well as exceptional leadership qualities, adaptability, problem-solving skills, collaboration, and a vision of excellence were selected.
Khalish Danial Md Ridzwan (fifth from left), Yarshini Manimaran (third from right) and fellow PETRONAS scholars with the PETRONAS management at the sponsorship award ceremony.
Among the chosen scholars this year is Kedah-born Yarshini Manimaran, who scored 9A+ and 1A in the recent SPM.
“I was always aware that my family is underprivileged in a financial sense,” said Yarshini, who added that she witnessed the hardships her father – a farm manager, and mother, a housewife endured to take care of the family.
As the eldest of three siblings, she felt a great sense of responsibility to break the cycle of poverty and achieve financial freedom.
“I was, and still am determined to chase my dreams and make them a reality. I knew performing well in school and extracurricular activities was my golden ticket out without having to burden my parents,” she added.
The 18-year-old, who aspires to become an accountant, is currently pursuing her pre-university course at Taylor’s College via the PETRONAS education sponsorship. She understands that being a PETRONAS scholar will lead her to better prospects in the future.
“It opens many doors for me, and I can only imagine how many opportunities will come my way, by virtue of being a PETRONAS scholar,” she said, adding that the sponsorship has also boosted her confidence and motivation to excel in her chosen field.
Khalish Danial Md Ridzwan is one of 600 PETRONAS scholars, who hopes to use his mechanical engineering degree to elevate the energy sector in Malaysia — IZZRAFIQ ALIAS/The Star
Like many recipients of the PETRONAS education sponsorship, Khalish Danial Md Ridzwan’s phenomenal 10A+ SPM results earned him a flurry of sponsorship offers from various institutions.
But for the 18-year-old Johorean, his experience at the PETRONAS Leadership Centre became a tipping point in his decision to take up the offer from PETRONAS.
“I was inspired by PETRONAS' commitment to developing its employees and providing them with opportunities to grow and succeed,” he said, adding that he observed a great working culture that was both organised and structured.
Khalish recognised the fact that PETRONAS is also the only Malaysian company included in the Fortune 500 list was a huge indication of its prestige.
For Khalish, whose family of six live on a single-income paycheck due to his father’s debilitating stroke, getting a PETRONAS sponsorship – which also includes a host of development programmes, is a dream come true.
The funds, he said, was a financial lifeline that would also provide him with opportunities to high-quality education and resources that he would have not been able to afford otherwise.
The eloquent debating champion, who, with the aid of the PETRONAS education sponsorship is pursuing his A-Levels at Kolej Yayasan UEM in Selangor, has ambitions of becoming a mechanical engineer.
Having disliked traffic as a child, Khalish’s experience during his first journey by train at the age of seven, sparked an interest in the energy sector in transportation – an area he believes he can contribute to.
“I aspire to create a walkable, sustainable or even, a car-free city. We need skills and talents in mechanical engineering to create automated transportation systems to help reduce traffic issues, improve safety, and make cities more connected,” he added.
Since 1975, the PETRONAS education sponsorship – with an investment of more than RM3 bil, has supported over 38,000 Malaysians scholars who have pursued degrees in various fields, including chemical engineering, mechanical engineering, petroleum engineering, geophysics, accounting, marketing, and law.
It will also continue to sponsor students in the fields of data science and data engineering, in fulfilling its digital transformation aspirations.
