KUALA LUMPUR: PETRONAS set up a transition council and human capital development committee to oversee employee welfare after its recent organisational restructuring, says Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said.
The Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Law and Institutional Reform) said the affected employees would receive a competitive separation package as well as support through a transition programme, depending on their category and eligibility.
"PETRONAS (says it) remains committed to the welfare of its employees by establishing the council and committee to coordinate fair and structured redeployment of staff, in line with legal requirements and proper industrial relations practices," she said in a parliamentary written reply to Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin (PN-Larut).
Hamzah had asked the government to state the criteria used by the government in assessing the matter of terminating the services of up to 5,000 PETRONAS employees, particularly in balancing profits and social responsibility.
Azalina added that the support includes career coaching, emotional support, skills enhancement, financial planning and job relocation assistance through collaboration with PERKESO, government-linked companies, and entrepreneurial initiatives under the PETRONAS Innovation Garage.
"These measures are part of PETRONAS’ transformation strategy to enhance resilience and competitiveness in navigating the energy transition.
"They are strategically designed to ensure that PETRONAS’ contribution to national revenue and the continuity of national development policies are not affected," she added.
PETRONAS had previously stated that it needed to "rightsize" its workforce to ensure sustainability.
PETRONAS has nearly 50,000 employees, according to its website.
