The president explained that the government had calculated the number of human resources required to manage the Masela block, which is expected to absorb more than 12 thousand workers.
Tobelo, North Maluku (ANTARA News) - President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) has urged the Maluku provincial government to prepare at least 12 thousand human resources to support the development of the Masela oil and gas block in the province.

"When I was in the Maluku provincial city of Ambon on Tuesday, I urged the rector of Pattimura University (Unpatti) and the Faculty of Polytechnic to prepare human resources for the Masela block," President Jokowi remarked in Tobelo, North Maluku, on Wednesday.

The president explained that the government had calculated the number of human resources required to manage the Masela block, which is expected to absorb more than 12 thousand workers.

The head of state said the number constituted human resources related to engineering and did not include people working in other supporting areas.

"The Ministry of Research, Technology and Higher Education had also contacted the rector of Unpatti, which means that the process of readying human resources had begun well in advance. The Masela oil and gas block is estimated to become operational in the next eight years, but human resources should be prepared from now itself," Jokowi emphasized.

The president stressed that human resources should be prepared to avoid the need to source people from outside Maluku province.

"The preparations must be made in advance to annul the need to utilize human resources from outside Maluku as the benefits of this major project in eastern Indonesia should be largely reaped by the local community," Jokowi affirmed.

He said the government had estimated that a large number of human resources, especially graduates in petroleum engineering, geological engineering, and other branches, will be needed to manage the Masela oil and gas block.

The president reiterated that local human resources must be prepared ahead of time to avoid investors from utilizing foreign human resources.

President Jokowi emphasized that if the investors use foreign human resources despite the availability of local talent, then their management permits may be revoked.(*)

Editor: Heru Purwanto
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