Former Petronas manager met Petros official before job interview, court told

Former Petronas employee Khairul Akmal Jasni faced the sessions court in Kuala Lumpur, where he was alleged to have attempted to disclose a confidential document to Petros in June 2024. Before the trial, a witness, who declined to reveal her identity, testified that Khairul was informally interviewed by Petros CFO Azha Jalil Abdul Jalil at the Kuala Lumpur Golf & Country Club in 2024.

Subsequently, she mentioned that Khairul was also interviewed by Azha in Sarawak. The witness, a human resources officer in her early 40s, had advised Khairul on the salary he should seek from Petros. Cross-examination revealed that Khairul had applied for the position of head of upstream finance at Petros, though he declined the offer due to unsatisfactory salary expectations.

The court heard that the confidential document, "Q1 2024 Upstream Business Performance – Operational and Financial," was allegedly obtained by Khairul during his time at Petronas and was intended to be disclosed to Petros. Khairul, represented by lawyer Louis Liaw, faces charges under Section 203A(1) read with Section 511 of the Penal Code, which can result in a minimum fine of RM1 million, a prison term of up to one year, or both upon conviction.

The trial proceeded before Judge Mazuliana Abdul Rashid, with the next hearing scheduled for the following day.