Masela Block project to prioritize hiring local workforce: Minister

Ambon, Maluku (ANTARA) - Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM) Minister Bahlil Lahadalia has emphasized that the operators of the Abadi Masela Block LNG project in the Tanimbar Islands, Maluku, will prioritize the hiring of local workers.

"Several young locals have been sent to study at the ESDM Ministry's oil and gas academy in Cepu. We will hire all of them to work on the Masela Block project before recruiting workers from outside the region," Lahadalia stated.

According to an official statement released on Friday, the mega-project is expected to employ approximately 12 thousand workers during its construction phase, and between 800 and 1,000 workers once it becomes operational.

The minister said that the hiring for professional roles will prioritize residents of the Tanimbar Islands and Southwest Maluku regencies. If these positions cannot be filled by local talents, recruitment will expand to other regions in Indonesia and eventually overseas.

"We must not let the local youth feel sidelined when major investments enter their region," he remarked.

Beyond employment, the government has mandated that project operators prioritize local enterprises as business partners, provided they possess the required qualifications.

"I urge that any work suitable for local entrepreneurs be prioritized for them. Investments must provide tangible benefits to local communities," Lahadalia stressed.

Maluku Governor Hendrik Lewerissa affirmed the provincial government's full support for the project, viewing it as a vital catalyst for regional economic growth and significant job creation.

He added that the regional administration will maintain close coordination with the central government, the upstream oil and gas regulator SKK Migas, and the project operators to ensure local communities have access to employment, training, and business empowerment programs.

"The Masela Block must serve as momentum to improve the quality of human resources in Maluku while boosting the prosperity of communities in the Tanimbar Islands and surrounding areas," Lewerissa concluded.

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Translator: Ode Azis, Uyu Liman

Editor: Azis Kurmala

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