By Adrian Lim
KUCHING, Sept 14: Sarawak Petroleum Contractors Association (SPECA) is fighting for a bigger slice of the cake for oil and gas (O&G) contracts with higher value for Sarawakian contractors.
SPECA president Datuk Rahman Lariwoo believed that it is time for Sarawakian O&G contractors especially smaller-sized contractors to be given the opportunities to undertake higher value O&G jobs in Sarawak from national oil corporation Petroliam Nasional Bhd (Petronas).
“We hope Petronas can provide higher value jobs for smaller O&G contractors in Sarawak. We are trying to help local O&G contractors to grow and build up their businesses.
“We believe Sarawakian O&G contractors are capable and qualified to undertake various types of engineering jobs for the O&G industry. Some of them are even working all around the world.
“What we are seeking from Petronas is to give us the opportunities to undertake more higher valued jobs for instance topside platform maintenance in Sarawak’s waters,” he said during a press conference here today.
Rahman said the state government is fully supportive of the association’s goals to enable more local contractors to participate in O&G activities in Sarawak.
He said the association was assured by Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg that local O&G players have a future to develop their businesses after making a courtesy call at the latter’s office here.
Rahman said the association has just been formed after it obtained the approval from the Registry of Societies Malaysia (RoS) on August 19.
Besides, SPECA’s committee member Datuk Janang Bungsu believed that Sarawakian O&G contractors in particular the smaller-sized contractors also deserved to be given higher valued jobs as they were equally talented with other O&G players in Malaysia.
He said Sarawakian contractors have also been involved in upstream and downstream O&G activities.
Thus, he outlined that there is no reason for Petronas to give jobs just to big corporations and sidelined the smaller-sized contractors
Meanwhile SPECA’s vice president I Jamel Ibrahim believed that local O&G contractors could grow their businesses when there were more jobs from Petronas.
He opined that they will contribute to the development of the O&G industry and the economy of the state.
Among those present at the press conference were the association’s vice president II Jilan Jenggi, secretary Ahmad Sazali Annuar and committee member Hafisz Rachman Drahman. —DayakDaily
