The Government of Sarawak, one of two Malaysian states on the island of Borneo, recently introduced a moratorium on all new applications for Petronas positions in the state.

News has now emerged alleging that Petronas shifted its departure point from Bintulu Port to Kampung Pulau Melayu jetty in Miri to bypass the State’s immigration check points to send its workers to platforms offshore Bintulu.

Petronas has deemed the allegations “grossly inaccurate.”

In a statement on Thursday the company said: “Petronas wishes to put on record that it did not and will not deliberately evade immigration check points when sending employees to its facilities offshore Sarawak.”

The company said that a journey by boat from Miri to the D35 and Temana platforms offshore Bintulu would take more than six hours and will be gravely perilous.

“Crew members for the D35 platform are therefore transported via helicopter from the Miri Airport while those for Temana are transported via boat from Bintulu Port,” the energy firm added.

Petronas said: “The Kampung Melayu jetty in Miri, on the other hand, is used to transport staff to its Baram Delta Operation (BDO) facilities in Miri waters.”

Petronas also highlighted that 97% of its 550 offshore workers in the area are Sarawakians who do not require work permits to work in the State.

The company also reiterated that the process of sending employees to its offshore facilities are conducted “in full and strict compliance to the relevant State laws and policies.”