Petros urges the public and media to exercise caution and avoid publishing or disseminating any defamatory statements or imputations about the company and its officers arising from the matter.
KUCHING (June 26): Petroleum Sarawak Berhad (Petros) has said that it was not privy to the alleged attempted disclosure of information to the company, following media reports on ongoing court proceedings involving a former Petroliam Nasional Berhad (Petronas) employee.
In a statement, the state-owned oil and gas company urged the public and the media to exercise caution and avoid publishing or disseminating any defamatory statements or imputations about the company and its officers arising from the matter.
“Petros is not in any way privy to the alleged attempted disclosure of information. We urge members of the public and the media to exercise due care and avoid publishing or disseminating any defamatory statements or imputations about Petros or its officers arising from this matter.
“Petros respects the legal process and will not interfere with the proceedings. The company will take all necessary steps to safeguard its employees and interests,” it said.
On June 25, it was reported that Petronas’ Cyber Security Department had confirmed that a former manager at the company allegedly disclosed information on its business and financial structure to Petros on June 8, 2024.
On the first day of trial before Judge Mazuliana Abdul Rashid in Kuala Lumpur, former Petronas senior manager of Corporate Relations Jumsuri Basri, 48, testified that he was informed on Dec 6, 2024, that Mohd Khairul Akmal Mohd Jasni had allegedly leaked confidential information.
Jumsuri, the prosecution’s first witness, said he received a call from a representative of the Whistleblowing Committee (WBC) on Dec 6, 2024, informing him of the alleged information leak to Petros.
The representative later sent an email containing the whistleblower’s report and supporting documents.
He added that checks showed Mohd Khairul Akmal had allegedly sent a confidential document titled “Q1 2024 Upstream Business Performance” from his Petronas email account to a Petros email address at 3.19pm on June 8, 2024.
According to Jumsuri, the document was classified as “Internal” and could not be shared without approval from the head of Petronas Carigali Sdn Bhd’s Finance and Risk Department.
He said Mohd Khairul Akmal was Petronas’ Manager (Business Unit Performance), responsible for managing and consolidating financial reports for upstream businesses locally and internationally.
The charge alleges that the document was obtained in the course of his duties and disclosed at a Jalan Pinang condominium in Kuala Lumpur between 3.19pm and 3.21pm on June 8, 2024.
The charge was framed under Section 203A(1) of the Penal Code, read together with Section 511 of the same Code.
Petros reiterated that it would take all necessary steps to safeguard its employees and interests in relation to the matter.
