Sabah will be home to a new RM50mil oil and gas training centre in south-western Kimanis about 80km from here.
Petronas is setting up Kimanis Petroleum Training Centre by 2013. Currently, the centre is operating from temporary premises in Membakut Jaya.
The temporary facility was opened yesterday by Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Anifah Aman, who is the Kimanis MP.
Petronas vice-president (exploration and production business) Ramlan A. Malek said: “The centre is another step by Petronas in our efforts to develop the capability here and create a pool of skilled personnel among Sabahans who will participate in and contribute towards the development of the oil and gas industry.”
He said the company hoped that the facility would help qualified Sabahan youths find employment.
At present, he said 25 Sabahans were undergoing training at the Membakut Jaya centre.
Petronas is expecting to spend about RM45bil in large-scale projects in Sabah and these include the power plants in Kimanis and Lahad Datu, an oil and gas terminal, a 512km gas pipeline between Sabah and Sarawak and a fertiliser plant in Sipitang.
