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(R) (Dr.) Haji Mohamad Yasmin bin Haji Umar - Energy Department ...

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Opening Remarks by Yang Berhormat Pehin Datu Singamanteri Dato Seri<br />

Setia Colonel (R) (<strong>Dr</strong>.) <strong>Haji</strong> <strong>Mohamad</strong> <strong>Yasmin</strong> <strong>bin</strong> <strong>Haji</strong> <strong>Umar</strong>,<br />

the Minister of <strong>Energy</strong> at the Prime Minister’s Office,<br />

On the Occasion of the Job Fair 2012.<br />

BRIDEX, Sunday, 7 October 2012.<br />

Bismilah Hirrahman Nir Rahim,<br />

Assalamualaikum Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuh, and a Very Good Morning.<br />

Yang Mulia Dato Paduka <strong>Haji</strong> Wahab <strong>bin</strong> <strong>Haji</strong> Juned and Yang Mulia Dato<br />

Paduka <strong>Haji</strong> Ali <strong>bin</strong> Apong, Deputy Ministers at the Prime Minister’s Offices,<br />

Permanent Secretaries and Deputy Permanent Secretaries,<br />

Senior Officials from the Government of His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-<br />

Pertuan of Negara Brunei Darussalam,<br />

Managing Directors and CEO’s of Companies,<br />

Ladies and Gentlemen,<br />

Before I continue, I would just like to say that at first I wanted to deliver this<br />

speech in Malay, however in consideration of the many non-Malay speakers who<br />

are with us here this morning, please allow me to proceed in English.<br />

It is indeed a great pleasure to meet all of you here today. First and foremost, I<br />

would like to thank you for finding the time despite your busy schedule to come<br />

to this morning’s function. I would also like to express my most sincere<br />

appreciation to those who are repeat participants in this latest Job Fair. For those<br />

participating for the first time, welcome and I hope, as those who have<br />

participated in the past, you will find it as very rewarding and a win-win<br />

venture.<br />

<br />

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1. It has been almost 10 months since we organized the very first Job Fair<br />

here at BRIDEX, in December 2011. The objectives of the first Job Fair and the one<br />

that we are organizing now are the same, that is to expose as much as possible the<br />

job opportunities available out there in our local oil and gas industry. On this, we<br />

are indebted to His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Negara Brunei<br />

Darussalam, who through his advices and guidance encourages us to be more<br />

proactive in terms of job creations for the citizens and permanent residents of<br />

Brunei Darussalam. The first Job Fair marked the beginning of a major push of<br />

such efforts by the Government of His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of<br />

Negara Brunei Darussalam through the <strong>Energy</strong> <strong>Department</strong> towards ensuring<br />

more locals are employed by the industry. We wanted then to show and prove<br />

that the industry has the ability to provide jobs for the locals, and our locals if<br />

given the right chance can rise up to the challenge of filling up these jobs.<br />

2. We also wanted to show that creating 50,000 jobs in the oil and gas<br />

industry, out of which 40,000 jobs are for local professionals and employees by<br />

2035 as envisaged in the draft <strong>Energy</strong> White Paper is not only a possibility but<br />

also achievable. I am first to acknowledge that the task is not easy – there are so<br />

many gates that must be unlocked including attitudes of both the potential<br />

employers and the employees, managing and upgrading capabilities and<br />

capacities and so on. Most of these also involve sensitive issues, yet if we were to<br />

please everyone we would not get very far. Reality is, we need to create more jobs<br />

for our locals, and do it fast. We cannot have an environment where our locals<br />

feel that they are being by-passed for jobs, even in the non-skills and semi-skills.<br />

We cannot have contracts signed in the oil and gas industry – some involving<br />

tens and even hundred of millions, with little return to the nation in term of local<br />

contents such as jobs and training opportunities.<br />

<br />

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3. What have we achieved since then Last week on the side line of my<br />

meetings with BSP’s JG1 to JG6, I mentioned to the press that by mid-September<br />

2012, we have on our record from submissions received from the oil and gas<br />

companies, a total of 1114 new recruitments of locals by the industry. After<br />

further analyzing the latest reports, the number Alhamdulillah is now 1302!<br />

Indeed, surpassing the target of 1000 for the whole of 2012 is not by any standard<br />

a small achievement, bearing in mind that we still have two and a half months to<br />

go before the end of the year. I am confident that we will again improve on this<br />

number, Insya Allah.<br />

4. Allow me to provide further breakdowns on the new recruitments. 53 are<br />

Master degrees holders, 111 are first-degree holders, and another 107 with Higher<br />

National Diplomas. The rest numbering 1031 are those with PMB, O-levels, A-<br />

level, OND, technical certificates and so on. The numbers are as submitted to us<br />

by 47 out of the 70 oil and gas companies that participated at the last Job Fair. I<br />

understand we are having a little bit of difficulty for whatever the reasons, in<br />

getting the inputs from the other 23 companies. I urge those concern to work with<br />

us on this.<br />

5. At the moment, we have 270 companies with links to our oil and gas<br />

industry registered with the <strong>Energy</strong> <strong>Department</strong> of the Prime Minister’s Office.<br />

These companies are required to submit certain information to us at a regular<br />

basis including the numbers of locals being employed. These are very important<br />

information that allows us to keep track the progress of LBD in the country. LBD<br />

itself is one of our top agenda. For those participating or intending to participate<br />

in tenders with the Brunei-Shell Joint Venture companies – allow me to remind<br />

that compliance with the LBD’s Directives including those on submission of<br />

information is a drop-dead criteria. If a company failed to show that it is fully in<br />

compliance with the Directives, its submission would not be further processed.<br />

<br />

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6. Achieving this target means a lot to all of us. It shows the industry is able<br />

to absorb more locals; locals are either not as choosy as was first thought or if<br />

they were, they are no longer so; and there is a positive shift on the views toward<br />

locals as employees. It also means there is a very strong support from the players<br />

within the industry themselves including most of you, who are here today.<br />

7. Having achieved the target is one thing. Are these people being engaged in<br />

what I termed as ‘real employment’ Real employment means real jobs, one that<br />

enable the employee to provide at least for himself or herself, a reasonable quality<br />

of life. We don’t want to see a person being employed for just 3 months and after<br />

that he is back in the job market again. That is why I have taken a lot of my time<br />

to visit the companies and to see for myself, the reality of the employment<br />

situation in each and every one of the companies I visited. I pledged to myself<br />

that I would visit more than 100 companies by the end of this year.<br />

8. Through these visits, I am able to see for myself the employment status as<br />

it is and in turn, provide opportunities for both employers and employees alike,<br />

to tell me how things are at ground level. I am also encouraging my senior<br />

officers including the Permanent Secretaries to do the same, to meet with you and<br />

your employees. We need factual information and a feel of what is really going<br />

on, in order to consider and prepare additional Local Business Development’s<br />

initiatives, if and when required. I do not want to see beautiful facts and figures<br />

being provided in glossy brochures by the companies on employment and other<br />

local contents, when in reality these are far from being true.<br />

9. Undeniably, there would be some who would claim that the number was<br />

achieved by <strong>Energy</strong> <strong>Department</strong>, by imposing conditions that require those vying<br />

for contracts with the Government-linked oil and gas companies to adhere to the<br />

LBD Directives and to satisfy the guidelines on local employment. Indeed, this is<br />

the reality and must be done as a wake-up call. However, these are not unfair<br />

demands. Some of the companies are reaping benefits and substantial profits<br />

from the activities of the local oil and gas operators, it is time for them to<br />

<br />

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contribute to the local communities in return, by employing our local jobseekers.<br />

To those of you who have helped us achieve the target, willingly or otherwise–<br />

thank you for your efforts, may Allah Subbahana Wataala repay your good<br />

deeds, by many folds. Amin.<br />

Ladies and Gentlemen,<br />

10. We cannot be too sure whether all these years, the industry had not been<br />

absor<strong>bin</strong>g locals at the number that we are talking about just now. So whether<br />

our target for 2012 is indeed either low or high, this would remain an academic<br />

question. But definitely, we have learned a lot from the past few months.<br />

11. This year, BSP alone spent around B$2.3 billion as capital expenditure to<br />

amongst others, execute Danau-Bubut, Champion-7 New Living Quarters (CP-7<br />

NQ), Bulan-Bulan & Osprey fabrications and brownfield rejuvenations as part of<br />

its major projects. For the financial year 2013, BSP will spend as its capital<br />

expenditure around B$2.7 billion, on drilling new development and exploration<br />

wells including near field exploration (NFE) and onshore, resulting an increase in<br />

number of rigs, fabrications and offshore installations. That’s just BSP, we have<br />

not included companies such as TOTAL, Brunei Methanol, PetroleumBRUNEI,<br />

PETRONAS and so on.<br />

12. I do hope that companies such as TOTAL, PETRONAS and BMC would<br />

be more transparent on their projected expenditure and the key projects that<br />

they would be carrying out. PetroleumBRUNEI as the current regulator for these<br />

companies must obtain and report back to the <strong>Energy</strong> <strong>Department</strong> of the Prime<br />

Minister’s Office on their LBD components. I am also sure our local contractors<br />

and vendors would love to know about them, so they can plan well ahead and<br />

have a chance to participate in the various projects.<br />

<br />

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13. Taking all these expenditures in mind, I see a better opportunity for local<br />

employment next year. So Ladies and Gentlemen, I am pleased to say that I am<br />

looking at a higher target of 1,600 new local recruitments for 2013. Again, I am<br />

confident that this target is achievable.<br />

14. We have many examples of successes in developing our local manpower<br />

resources. Brunei Gas Carriers Sendirian Berhad (BGC) is an excellent example<br />

where Bruneians are able to demonstrate that they are up to the challenges of<br />

working onboard sea-going vessels. Today BGC has over 270 local officers and<br />

crews. All the ratings i.e. the junior crews are now locals. Just recently, we have<br />

also locals achieving the ranks of Chief Officers/Chief Mate and Second<br />

Engineers, which are just a one step away from reaching the rank of<br />

Captain/Master and Chief Engineer respectively. Insya Allah, in the very near<br />

future, we will see the first of our LNG vessels to be fully manned and captained<br />

by Bruneians.<br />

15. The young mariners of BGC fit very well to the description of the youths<br />

that we as a nation want. His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan in his Titah<br />

on the occassion of the National Youth Day on 2 August 2010, said<br />

“This strong spirit will aspire them to more diligent, prepare to face the<br />

weather and be durable. This is the youth that we and our nation dreams of.<br />

Youth such as this, will not see difficulties as hinderance toward successes, but<br />

instead these will make them strive harder and be more competitive.”<br />

16. Let me at this juncture, quote another extract of His Majesty the Sultan and<br />

Yang Di-Pertuan of Negara Brunei Darussalam’s Titah during Hari Raya<br />

Gathering organised by Sultan <strong>Haji</strong> Hassanal Bolkiah Foundation on Tuesday, 28<br />

August 2012.<br />

<br />

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“In the 10th National Development Plan 2012-2017, through the Economic<br />

Strategy, we always endeavour to develop economic sustainability, one that is<br />

capable of creating quality job opportunities for citizens and locals in the<br />

public and private sectors.”<br />

The Titah says it all. Among the true measures of a sustainable economic<br />

development is its ability to provide quality jobs for our citizens and locals, be it<br />

in the public or private sectors. The responsibility to create this sustainable<br />

economic development falls on all of us, the Government, the private sectors, the<br />

citizens and locals alike.<br />

17. Lets me now also share with some of the things the Government is doing<br />

in order to increase employment of locals by the oil and gas industry.<br />

18. First, our top priority is to match the qualifications and skills of our local<br />

jobseekers with that of the industry’s requirement. By consent of His Majesty the<br />

Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Negara Brunei Darussalam, we have established a<br />

high-level Steering Committee to help steer works on establishing a framework to<br />

be known as the <strong>Energy</strong> Industry Competency Framework (EICF) by end of this<br />

year. The Framework will act as a training to help locals achieved the competency<br />

standards as required by the industry. Yes, we are in a hurry to do this as the<br />

number of job seekers is increasing by the year. We are not just referring to<br />

degree or HND holders, but also ‘O-levels holders’ and sadly even those who did<br />

not even finish their O-Levels.<br />

19. Secondly, we have held two gatherings with Young Unemployed <strong>Energy</strong><br />

Graduates and HND holders from the various fields. During these gatherings we<br />

lent a listening and sympathetic ear to their predicaments whilst at the same time,<br />

offering them advices on how to sell themselves to prospective employees.<br />

During the first of these gathering, around 70 graduates were able to secure<br />

apprenticeships with the main oil and gas companies. For the second, we added<br />

more potential employers to the equation and Alhamdulillah, in total more than<br />

<br />

7


161 candidates were able to obtain apprenticeship places. Out of these, 22 have<br />

been taken in as employees. To the apprentices who managed to secure<br />

employments in such a short time and to the companies, congratulations and well<br />

done. However, we are not totally satisfied with our achievement, we want to do<br />

more in terms of number and the quality of the scheme. We are reviewing the<br />

terms and conditions of this apprenticeship programme, it is important that each<br />

of the apprentice, upon finishing the programme is turned into a better candidate<br />

for the employment market.<br />

20. I mentioned earlier about our Young Unemployed <strong>Energy</strong> Graduates, I am<br />

pleased to note that some of them are with us here today working as volunteers.<br />

They are here offering their free services to help us organize and manage the<br />

event. Surely, ladies and gentlemen, this is a very good indicator of their quality<br />

as potential employees of your company.<br />

21. Secondly, we are exposing our students to the oil and gas industry<br />

through roadshows in all the four districts. Our target audiences are those who<br />

are still studying at the secondary and the primary levels. We want to instill<br />

interests upon them as early as possible on our nation’s oil and gas industry, and<br />

to help them decide the career paths that they would like to adopt. For those who<br />

are at secondary schools, the roadshows allow them to find out the O-levels’ and<br />

A-Levels’ subjects that are needed in order for them to secure places in the<br />

disciplines they are interested in at universities or technical training schools.<br />

22. Providing guidance and instilling interests on the appropriate subjects to<br />

be taken if a student were to pursue a certain career at a very early stage is very<br />

important. This strategy is very much in line with the Titah of His Majesty the<br />

Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Negara Brunei Darussalam in his Titah during the<br />

22 nd Teachers’ Day Celebration held on 24 th September 2012:<br />

<br />

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“Touching on the development of education, specifically at the primary and<br />

secondary levels, based upon my own observation and information obtained<br />

during visits to Government schools, the students’ ability to master<br />

Mathematics and Languages, although showing improvement, is still in need<br />

of further enhancement. This is important as mastering the basics is the strong<br />

foundation required to pursue the said subjects at the secondary and advance<br />

levels.”<br />

23. Thirdly, as I mentioned earlier we have also visited some of you to have a<br />

closer look at your businesses, and to know for example the challenges that you<br />

face in your businesses. We also want to see how far have you all gone in terms of<br />

employing locals and to know the various related issues. These are important –<br />

you are the employers and you deserved to be heard as well. However in return,<br />

we also asked to be listened. It is in everyone’s interest that our local companies<br />

continue to be successful as successful companies also mean stable employers.<br />

24. Fourthly, we are planning to set up National Oil and Gas Training Centres<br />

through Public-Private Partnership, to provide tailor-made courses for those<br />

interested to join the oil and gas industry. These training centres would<br />

complement existing institutions of higher education and technical schools and<br />

allow us to have more intakes each year. At the same time, they would also<br />

provide us with more choices of courses and modules, training durations, better<br />

training facilities and so on.<br />

25. These training centres could be set up in the various districts, each offering<br />

specialization in certain skills. We may have one in Kuala Belait specialising in<br />

welding and scaffolding, another in Seria on drilling skills, perhaps in Tutong for<br />

industrial and offshore painting, whilst others in Bandar Seri Begawan and<br />

Bangar offering something else.<br />

<br />

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26. The setting up of these national training centres will also be in line with<br />

the Titah of His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Negara Brunei<br />

Darussalam also made during the 22 nd Teachers’ Day Celebration held on 24 th<br />

September 2012:-<br />

“I was made to understand that a study is being carried out on technical<br />

education. I hope this study will be looked at thoroughly for implementation.<br />

A strategic plan should also be developed for the purpose of achieving the<br />

goals of the technical education. This includes, if necessary, direct involvement<br />

by the industry and operators, to enable them to share their experience and<br />

expertise.”<br />

27. Fifthly, studies have already been implemented to identify areas that need<br />

to be improved so that our existing educational and training institutions will be<br />

able to produce graduates who are marketable and easily absorbed by the<br />

different sectors. The <strong>Energy</strong> <strong>Department</strong> is working closely with the Ministry of<br />

Education and with the relevant Government agencies in order to implement<br />

measures that will help us to achieve these improvements. These measures may<br />

include bringing experts from the industry to conduct lectures and share<br />

experiences, and seconding the teachers or lecturers to the industry in order to<br />

gain real industry-based experiences.<br />

Ladies and gentlemen,<br />

27. Please allow me to address those who are still seeking for jobs – please,<br />

come and visit this Job Fair. The oil and gas industry offers various job<br />

opportunities in many disciplines - engineering, sciences, finance, laws, arts,<br />

media, information technologies, just to name a few. I believe there are still a few<br />

out there who are more inclined to seek employment with the Government.<br />

<br />

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28. What we are doing here today takes a lot of effort in terms of time,<br />

manpower and costs by all parties concerned. So go around and mingle with the<br />

representatives. Find out what are the opportunities out there for you and what<br />

you need to do in order to grab them. Attend the CV writing sessions, learn how<br />

to sell yourself, you’ll be surprise to know you have more attractive attributes<br />

than you currently thought.<br />

29. The industry often offers different challenges, better career development<br />

prospects and better rewards. If you feel you are up to the challenges, full of ideas<br />

and is innovative, the oil and gas industry is therefore the right choice for you to<br />

be in.<br />

30. For those who are already being employed by the industry, I urge you to<br />

give your best to help your employers to continue to grow in strength. In any job,<br />

be it with the Government or the private sector, dedication is a must. Do not put<br />

yourself in a situation that involves breach of trusts and corruption, as these will<br />

jeopardize not only your jobs but also your reputations. And worst still these<br />

practices do not only affect the company you are working for but also the whole<br />

industry and the nation as a whole.<br />

31. At the same time, you must always adhere to the commands and<br />

prohibitions of Allah Subbahana Wataala. And don’t forget to pray for your<br />

parents’ continuous good health and well-being, and in turn to seek their doa for<br />

you for your good health and keberkatan in your undertakings. Insya Allah, as I<br />

never gets bored in reminding – our parents’ doa is makbul as it is readily heard<br />

and fulfilled by Allah Subbahana Wataala.<br />

<br />

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32. In conclusion, please allow me to share with you His Majesty the Sultan<br />

and Yang Di-Pertuan of Negara Brunei Darussalam’s Titah yesterday during the<br />

National Youth Day, 2012. Touching on the theme “Generasi Belia Syumul”, His<br />

Majesty in his Titah advised that developing a youth who is ‘syumul’ or<br />

‘complete’ requires more than just mere words, ambitions and calls. The most<br />

important thing is to equip them with the required knowledge, including<br />

religion. It is knowledge said His Majesty that determines the capability and<br />

status of a person both in front of Allah or in front of his fellow men.<br />

Ladies and Gentlemen,<br />

Thank you again for finding the time to be here this morning. Wabillahhi taufik<br />

walhidayah wassalamualaikum wbt.<br />

<br />

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