Kuala lumpur: The Sessions Court was informed today that Petronas' Cyber Security Department confirmed a former manager had leaked details of the company's business and financial structure to Petroleum Sarawak Berhad (PETROS) on June 8, 2024.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, former Petronas senior manager of Corporate Relations, Jumsuri Basri, 48, testified that he was informed about the leak on December 6, 2024, at the Petronas Twin Towers. Jumsuri stated he received a call from a representative of the Whistle Blowing Committee (WBC) who alerted him about the breach. The representative later sent an email containing the whistleblower's report and the allegedly leaked documents.
After receiving this information, Jumsuri notified Human Resources, Petronas' Finance Division, and Petronas' Cyber Security Department to verify the leak and take further action. This was revealed during his witness statement on the first day of the trial of Mohd Khairul Akmal Mohd Jasni, who is accused of attempting to disclose confidential documents related to Petronas' operational and financial performance to PETROS.
The first prosecution witness noted that checks showed Mohd Khairul Akmal sent a document titled "Q1 2024 Upstream Business Performance" via his Petronas email to a PETROS email address at 3.19 pm on June 8, 2024.
Petronas Cyber Security's investigation confirmed that Mohd Khairul Akmal had transmitted the document on June 8, 2024. The investigation also revealed a failed attempt to send the email earlier that morning due to the file's large size. The document was classified as 'Internal' and was not to be shared without approval from the Head of Petronas Carigali Sdn Bhd's Finance and Risk Department, Ms. Karima.
Jumsuri testified that Mohd Khairul Akmal, as Manager (Business Unit Performance) at Petronas, was responsible for managing financial reports for upstream businesses both locally and globally. His actions exposed Petronas' confidential information, potentially harming the company and affecting national interests. Jumsuri emphasized that the document was entrusted to Mohd Khairul Akmal under the expectation of confidentiality.
Following the incident, Mohd Khairul Akmal was suspended from December 9, 2024, to February 8, 2025, to facilitate an internal investigation. Jumsuri also highlighted that Petronas has a Code of Conduct and Business Ethics that outlines disciplinary actions against employees found guilty of misconduct, including the unauthorized disclosure of confidential information.
Jumsuri lodged a police report to facilitate further investigation, citing the interests of Petronas, a government-linked company. During cross-examination, he disagreed with the defence's suggestion that the police report was premature or that Mohd Khairul Akmal was wrongly charged.
Mohd Khairul Akmal, 41, faces charges of attempting to disclose the "Q1 2024 Upstream Business Performance Operational and Financial" document, obtained during his duties as Petronas' Business Unit Performance Manager, at a condominium unit on Jalan Pinang, between 3.19 pm and 3.21 pm on June 8, 2024.
The charge falls under Section 203A(1) of the Penal Code, read with Section 511, which provides for a maximum fine of RM1 million or imprisonment of up to one year. Section 511 allows for a penalty not exceeding half of that prescribed under Section 203A(1) upon conviction.
The trial, presided over by Judge Mazuliana Abdul Rashid, is set to resume tomorrow.