Kuala Lumpur, 23 April 2020 – PETRONAS staff have come together to donate RM6.4 million through a voluntary salary contribution initiative to be channeled to the Tabung COVID-19 under the National Disaster Management Agency or NADMA. The contribution aims to expand the funds at NADMA’s disposal towards intensifying the responses amidst this pandemic, especially towards the distribution of essential supplies and Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to front-line staff and volunteers.
The week-long donation drive enabled staff to specify any amount of contribution via automatic deduction from their monthly salary. Commencing with contributions from the PETRONAS Senior Management donating 10 per cent of their April and May 2020 salaries, the initiative garnered strong support from 9,500 participating staff with a total of RM6.4 million successfully raised.
Commenting on the effort, PETRONAS President and Group Chief Executive Officer, Tan Sri Wan Zulkiflee Wan Ariffin said: “Our success in overcoming this pandemic requires all of us, including those who are not at the front-lines battling the disease to show courage, compassion and generosity to others. It is my hope that our modest gesture will assist the less fortunate in their hour of need and provide our front-liners with support in fighting COVID-19,” he added.
The salary contribution by staff is in addition to PETRONAS’ various contributions already made via its business operating units and subsidiaries in Malaysia as well as throughout the world, amounting to RM31.4 million as at 17 April 2020. The above donations bring PETRONAS’ total contribution on COVID-19 efforts to RM37.8 million.
The total contribution includes RM20 million worth of critical medical equipment and supplies to aid the efforts of hospitals and healthcare front-liners, donated by Yayasan PETRONAS, the Company’s corporate social responsibility arm, on 23 March 2020. This is being carried out in stages in collaboration with Malaysia’s Ministry of Health and NADMA.
Contributions by various subsidiaries across the Group were also made in the form of medical equipment and supplies as well as raw materials for the production of the PPE. Several of our facilities, including our research center in Bangi, have also produced sanitising liquids. In addition to this support, essential food items and PETRONAS gift cards are also being distributed to deserving households.
PETRONAS employees have also backed donation drives by the Company’s affiliated organisations such as the Association of Wives and Women Staff of PETRONAS (PETRONITA), Badan Kebajikan Islam PETRONAS (BAKIP), Dana Asy-Syakirin PETRONAS and Kelab Sukan dan Rekreasi PETRONAS (KSRP).
