PETRONAS ALUMNI 

 The Beginning.

16 May 2002

The following salient points were noted:

1. At the behest of the VP HR, Dato' Abdul Rahim Hashim, during a chance meeting with Retiree Tuan Hj Syed Abdullah Aljunid, on 16 May 2002, the proposed idea by PETRONAS MC to form a grouping of PETRONAS ex VPs, Senior and other PETRONAS Retirees, was passed on for Tuan Hj Syed Abdullah to initiate.
2. Tuan Hj Syed Abdullah identified and gathered several like-minded Retiree individuals, and informally discussed the idea from Dato VP HR.
3. These identified individuals held several informal meetings and discussed ways of moving forward. 
4. Many issues had to be addressed which required the individuals to meet often.
5. Meanwhile a Protem Committee was formed with:                          Dato Idris Mansor and Dato Anwaruddin Ahmad Osman as Advisors, Tuan Hj Mohd Kamil Ismail as Secretary, Tuan Hj Mohd Hada as Treasurer. Other members were Dato Nik Aziz Kamil, Tuan Syed Abdullah Aljunid, Tuan Hj Masri Yusof, Tuan Hj Zainal K Ahmad, Rtd Commodore Thong. Sometime later Tuan Hj Jalil Hassan was also coopted in the committee.
6. Retirees, like Tuan Hj Md Lias, Phua Hin Lye, V Gopinathan, Hj lbrahim Hassan, Dato’ Dr Rosti Saruono, and a few others also showed interest and attended some of the informal meetings, provided ideas, inputs and suggestions etc. (Yet, some forget they were already Retirees, showed no interest in attending the meetings but left 'instructions' to extend copies of minutes of meetings to them!)
7. The group was initially called XPET and also at other times referred to as PETRONAS Retirees Fraternity, or just Fraternity.
8. An iaugural meeting of the Fraternity’s Protem Committee was held on 16 August 2002. Objectives of the Fraternity were loosely discussed at this meeting. 
9. A formal meeting with PETRONAS Group HRM was held on 10 September 2002 where VP HRM reiterated the broad guidelines for the Fraternity to adopt. These guidelines happen to be in line with the thinking of the Protem Committee at the time.
10. In general the Fraternity is to start as a loose association of Executive Retirees. Get it going first and ensure maximum participation and involvement of Retirees
11. At the start, there will only be one category of members, and membership should initially be confined to only Executive Retirees (there were 99 names of Retirees recorded in the list with HRM), and also former VPs and above. Staff who resign (in good accord), and contract staff at the end of their contracts with PETRONAS, may also be accepted as members. 
12. Fraternity to act as a platform where Retirees can interact, socialise and ‘keep in touch’ amongst themselves while maintaining linkages with PETRONAS staff
13. Ensure participation and involvement of Retirees in some selected PETRONAS activities
14. Involving Retirees with valuable experiences and allowing them to provide professional support to PETRONAS when needed
15. Conduct own Fraternity’s activities, like recreation, golf, qi-gong, visits and outings, tea talks, health talks, and so on
16. Consider possibility of Fraternity’s involvement and contributions in community service

Start of Activities and Strength of the Fraternity 

1. Activities of the Fraternity was started and continued with bi-monthly tazkirah sessions.  Venue being rotated in the houses of Senior Retirees. A ‘hat’ was passed around at these tazkirah sessions to raise funds for activities.
2. For want of a better impact to the strength and recognition of the Fraternity, some members of the Protem Committee visited and invited former VPs and above (Tun Abdullah Salleh, Dato MB Hashim, Dato lsmail Hashim and others), to join the Fraternity while at the time seeking their advise and counsel on the way forward for the Fraternity.  Most were very supportive and encouraging for the Fraternity to move on forward.
3. YBhg Dato' Wan Ismai, the former VP HR, when approached, consented to being appointed as President of the Fraternity.
4. After the initial gestation period, the Protem Committee together with the Advisors, at its many follow up meetings (over the next couple of years), identified several issues needing attention:                     a) Funds were required for the Fraternity to move forward.               b) Number of Retirees and xstaff were increasing,                              c) sub-committees were formed for technical and professional support, sporting and recreational activities, spiritual and religious activities and others. 
5. YBhg Dato Idris Mansor, at a meeting of the Protem Committee on 17 June 2003, advised the committee to reconsider the decision of continuing as a loose Fraternity. There will be many limitations and constraints for the Fraternity to move forward.
6. Indeed all the issues needing attention as stated in 4 above, when addressed, brought up the main issue of funding. Passing the ‘hat’ around was no more viable.
7. Some of the activities initiated were:
8. Tuan Syed Mohammed Syed Jaffar was appointed to lead the Technical and Professional initiatives 
9. Commodore Thong to lead the sporting and recreation initiatives 
10. Tuan Hj Masri has, all these time meanwhile, led the spiritual and religious initiatives 
11. Tuan Hj Hada had continually liased with Group HRM for periodic funding allocations to run all the above activities.
12. Ad-hoc activities, like tea talks etc. were held as and when necessary. 

Impact and Response to lnitiatives

1. The Protem Committee was very encouraged by the positive response from Retirees (still young and active l suppose) to participate in the various initiatives above and also the acceptance by the still working Departmental Heads, Managers and Executives, to the Retirees ‘return contributions’ as appropriate.
2. The Technical and Professional team held discussions with VP Education, Puan Mariam Rahimah, and also with the Heads of INSTEP, Permata, and UTP. The team explored and identified the areas of expertise required, mode of participation by the ‘Expert Retirees’ and the compensation and fee structure, with the aim of reducing dependence on Foreign Consultants and using homegrown expertise instead.
3. The Recreational and Sporting initiative team concentrated on organising golf outings and bowling. A group visit to UTP was also organised in response to the invitation by Dato Dr. Zainal Kassim. Opportunities to utilise Retirees in part time teaching, as Adjunct Professors, etc was also explored. This initiative was followed up by the technical and professional team. 
4. Tuan Hj Hada’s relentless efforts and influence to obtain higher allocation of budget from HRM saw better results in the activities and initiatives executed, which also led to better participation by Retirees. Providing lunch following the activities held instead of just drinks became a norm. Meeting venues were more often held in Level 42 and 43 PETT, etc.

Setting Direction of the Fraternity 

1. Tuan Hj Zainal K and Hj Kamil, realising that the Fraternity may ultimately be overwhelmed with activities, all of which requires funding, a formal way of raising funds became necessary.
2. The Fraternity, as advised by YBhg Dato ldris Mansor, must be a registered body before it can start collecting fees and other monies on its own. Alternatively and if unregistered, the Fraternity has to ‘latch on’ to PETRONAS for funds.
3. Tuan Hj Zainal K then made reference to MAS and TNB Alumni constitutions and with the assistance of the secretary, formulate the Fraternity’s own constitution and guidelines.
4. It was noted that MAS Alumni was provided an annual grant to fund its activities whereas TNB Alumni received huge start-up grants.
5. Within about six months two versions of guidelines were prepared.                                           a) A formal constitution to be registered with the Registrar of Societies, (ROS), which will give the Fraternity freedom to collect fees, funds, or do business even, in order to generate income for the Fraternity to run its activities.                                                                                         b) An instructional guidelines for the Fraternity to operate, on its own, but exists under the umbrella of PETRONAS, with Group HR its focal point of contact.
6. The Protem Committee discussed the two versions at great length and came to the following understanding. Version a) gives the Fraternity full freedom and independence to exist on its own but run the risk of being totally detached from PETRONAS. Version b) will make the Fraternity like an extended part of PETRONAS but has to oblige to the ‘dictates’ of PETRONAS while, at the same time,  obtain its own budget, following the normal PETRONAS budget cycle, to fund its activities. There will not be any need for the Fraternity to impose fees on the Retirees. Free membership for ‘approved’ members.
7. These documents were presented to Dato Ainon Md Wahi, VP HR at that time, in a letter dated 15 June 2005, followed with a meeting on 17 June 2005, seeking counsel and direction on which version of the document was to be adopted. Pros and cons of each of the two versions were presented as well.  

The Decision on the Way Forward 

1. A feedback was received, albeit verbally, from Dato VP HR office later in the year, that PETRONAS Management was inclined to include the Fraternity under the ambit of Group HR. There is therefore no need to register with ROS.
2. This decision mark the end of the Protem era and set the stage for formalising the Fraternity, starting with a change of name from XPET or Retirees Fraternity to “PETRONAS ALUMNI” (or just Alumni in short)
3. Version b) of the constitution was adopted and formalised as Guidelines of PETRONAS ALUMNI or Garispanduan Alumni PETRONAS.
4. Membership eligibility remained the same as it was during the Protem stage. 
5. Number of members steadily increased as more staff reached retirement age and agreed to be members when invited. (A membership questionnaire and membership application form were included in each Retiree’s end of service package).
6. Activities of Aumni were revamped, to allow participation of a wider spectrum of the Retirees, depending on each individual’s interest in the Alumni.
7. Budget request for Alumni was included as part of HRM annual budget and utilised accordingly. 

Realigning Activities of Alumni

With the advice and decision for the Alumni to continue under the ambit of PETRONAS, its scope and activities were then realigned accordingly. 

1. Tazkirah sessions were held monthly and at the Dayabumi City Centre Conference Hall or meeting room as the venue depending on  availabity. This activity was very well received and attended. The venue was later shifted to one of the meeting rooms in Level 42 or 43 Twin Towers.
2. Several tea talks on Health and Wellbeing by Geriatric Specialists, Qi Gong classes by Qi Gong Master, Dr Amir Farid, Spiritual Discussions With prominent University Professors like arwah Tan Sri Dato Dr Kamal Hassan, arwah Dato Dr Hashim Yahya and others were also held at the above venue.
3. Group HRM organised a Hari Raya luncheon for the Alumni Members and this continued to be an annual event.
4. It was at this first luncheon event that the Alumni was formally launched. A new Alumni Management was elected. Dato’ Anwaruddin Ahmad Osman  was elected President, Tuan Hj lbrahim Johari as Secretary, Tuan Hj Mohd Hada as Treasurer and several others as Committee members. Dato’ Wan Ismail was elected as Advisor.
5. Subsequent Elections of Management Committee were held bi-anually at Hari Raya Gathering Luncheon event.

End of Record.

Recorded by:

Hj. Mohd Kamil bin Ismail

Former Secretary, 

Protem Committee

PETRONAS ALUMNI.

Dated: August 2024