Petronas, Shell asked to create more jobs
To me it is not fair for us Mirians when most of the oil operations are moved to Bintulu leaving Miri ‘empty’, it’s just like abandoning your home.
MIRI: Miri Bumiputera Entrepreneurs Association Sarawak ( PBMS) vice- chairman Talhah Mansor wants Petronas and Shell to create more job opportunities and manufacture more products from crude oil.
Coincidentally, he said, the state government was initiating a project to produce hydro fuel, which he hoped would be set up in Miri.
“To me it is not fair for us Mirians when most of the oil operations are moved to Bintulu leaving Miri ‘empty’, it’s just like abandoning your home,” Talhah told The Borneo Post yesterday.
In fact, Talhah added, elected representatives in Miri should ‘blow the whistle’ on the proposed project as it will create jobs and business opportunities, pointing out may Mirians became jobless when Petronas and Shell decided to reduce their manpower due to low oil prices.
Noting that both crude oil and
Talhah Mansor, Miri Bumiputera Entrepreneurs Association Sarawak vice-chairman
gas were first found in Miri and the first oil refinery was built in Lutong which survived the Second World War, he wondered why the two oil and gas companies had to dismantle the refinery.
“Nothing was left for history, not even the panel room and the tall funnel of the refinery,” he lamented.
“To me, even if there is no commercial value to keep the refinery it is part of Miri history,” he added.
However, he was relieved that the Grand Old Lady at Canada Hill was spared.
Touching on tourism, he said Miri has a lot of tourism packages to promote such as the Mulu Caves which is a World Heritage site, Niah Caves, Logan Bunut, Usun Apau, Lambir waterfall and Tusan beach.
“If our government builds a good road to Mulu, our tourists can travel directly rather than fly from our neighbouring country’s airport to visit Mulu and this will bring business to our hotels and homestay industry,” he pointed put.