KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian Gas Association (MGA) nurtures young talent for Malaysia’s gas and energy sector through its university student engagement programme, ‘Programme on Energy Sustainability, Transition and Insights to Graduate Engineers (Prestige)’. President Abdul Aziz Othman stated that the gas industry plays a crucial role in Malaysia’s energy security and socio-economic growth, particularly as the country aims for Net Zero by 2050.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, Abdul Aziz emphasized the need for young innovators with diverse skills to advance the future of energy transition. He highlighted the gas industry’s longstanding contribution of over RM135 billion to the economy and its role in creating thousands of jobs. Moreover, he noted the Ministry of Economy’s development of a policy framework for carbon capture, utilisation, and storage (CCUS) technology, which is expected to generate over 200,000 jobs and RM250 billion in gross value. This underscores the gas industry’s continued significance
beyond 2050.
Abdul Aziz also pointed out that natural gas is projected to constitute 56 percent of Malaysia’s energy mix by 2050. He called for talented graduates to leverage new technologies, ensuring natural gas supports sustainability and carbon reduction objectives. This vision, he asserted, must be effectively communicated to the upcoming workforce.
Meanwhile, MGA reported that this year’s Prestige event, held from November 15-17, 2024, in Kuching, Sarawak, saw participation from over 50 final-year students from various universities, including Universiti Teknologi Mara Sarawak, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak, University of Technology Sarawak, and Curtin University Malaysia. For the first time, non-engineering students joined the programme, reflecting the growing need for diverse expertise in the energy sector.
A notable feature of the event was a study visit to Sarawak Metro Sdn Bhd, where students explored Malaysia’s hydrogen-powered fuel cell electric vehicle, showcasing advancements in sustainable ene
rgy. MGA has been promoting the Malaysian gas industry to young engineers since Prestige’s inception 16 years ago.