Bintulu
Bintulu
Bintulu
14 January 2026
14 January 2026
14 January 2026
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Colleagues may call her Petty, but her work in process improvement is making a big impact on safety, efficiency and sustainability.
Colleagues may call her Petty, but her work in process improvement is making a big impact on safety, efficiency and sustainability.
Colleagues may call her Petty, but her work in process improvement is making a big impact on safety, efficiency and sustainability.
It is far from petty, the work that Pettymilona Michael, or simply Petty, as her colleagues call her, does each day as an engineer. At OCI Terrasus’ Samalaju Plant, this young petite assistant manager for process improvement for trichlorosilane process puts her at the heart of operations, where she monitors performance, analyzes data, and drives projects - sometimes with international experts- all with one goal in mind, making the plant safer, smarter and more sustainable. Born and raised in Bintulu, Petty has always wanted her work to give back to her home state, Sarawak. After graduating in Chemical Engineering from National University of Malaysia (UKM) in 2018, she joined OCI TerraSus straight out of university. It did not take long for her to find her calling in projects that resonated with her passion for a better, greener world. “Sarawak has big dreams, especially in clean energy,” she said. “Working here means I get to be part of that journey.” Her mornings begin with the commute from Bintulu to Samalaju, whereby 8am. she is already in the control room, reviewing the plant’s status before the daily morning meeting. These gatherings bring together engineers, leaders and boardmen to align priorities, sharpen the focus on safety and keep operations running smoothly. For Petty, every day is about making things better. “Process optimization doesn’t just make our plant safer. It also reduces our environmental footprint and supports Sarawak’s clean energy ambitions,” she explained. In an industry often dominated by men, Petty has learned that success is built on mutual respect, embracing differences and having the courage to speak up. “It’s easy to communicate and seek opinions from everyone- from frontliners to section managers. Everyone’s views are valued and heard,” she said. Her calm approach and ability to adapt help her thrive even in high-pressure situations. And when challenges arise? She counts on teamwork. “When things get difficult, I can rely on my team’s support to find better solutions together.” Petty finds inspiration in Sarawak’s Premier, whom she sees as a visionary leader charting a clean energy future. “His passion for developing Sarawak and making it a leader in clean energy makes me confident that the work I’m doing is helping my homeland move in the right direction,” she said. She believes that every Sarawakian has a role to play. “The Premier has set the direction, but it’s up to all of us to walk the path together. If we each contribute our skills and ideas, Sarawak can truly lead in sustainable development.” Beyond work, Petty stays grounded through evening runs at the Bintulu Stadium and fondly recalls moments of solidarity during tough times like the COVID-19 pandemic. “It was tough, but we kept the mood light at work and supported each other,” she said with a smile. Her advice to young engineers is simple- stay curious, keep learning and have the courage to try. For Petty, engineering is not just a career- it is her way of helping shape a cleaner, safer and more sustainable future.
It is far from petty, the work that Pettymilona Michael, or simply Petty, as her colleagues call her, does each day as an engineer. At OCI Terrasus’ Samalaju Plant, this young petite assistant manager for process improvement for trichlorosilane process puts her at the heart of operations, where she monitors performance, analyzes data, and drives projects - sometimes with international experts- all with one goal in mind, making the plant safer, smarter and more sustainable. Born and raised in Bintulu, Petty has always wanted her work to give back to her home state, Sarawak. After graduating in Chemical Engineering from National University of Malaysia (UKM) in 2018, she joined OCI TerraSus straight out of university. It did not take long for her to find her calling in projects that resonated with her passion for a better, greener world. “Sarawak has big dreams, especially in clean energy,” she said. “Working here means I get to be part of that journey.” Her mornings begin with the commute from Bintulu to Samalaju, whereby 8am. she is already in the control room, reviewing the plant’s status before the daily morning meeting. These gatherings bring together engineers, leaders and boardmen to align priorities, sharpen the focus on safety and keep operations running smoothly. For Petty, every day is about making things better. “Process optimization doesn’t just make our plant safer. It also reduces our environmental footprint and supports Sarawak’s clean energy ambitions,” she explained. In an industry often dominated by men, Petty has learned that success is built on mutual respect, embracing differences and having the courage to speak up. “It’s easy to communicate and seek opinions from everyone- from frontliners to section managers. Everyone’s views are valued and heard,” she said. Her calm approach and ability to adapt help her thrive even in high-pressure situations. And when challenges arise? She counts on teamwork. “When things get difficult, I can rely on my team’s support to find better solutions together.” Petty finds inspiration in Sarawak’s Premier, whom she sees as a visionary leader charting a clean energy future. “His passion for developing Sarawak and making it a leader in clean energy makes me confident that the work I’m doing is helping my homeland move in the right direction,” she said. She believes that every Sarawakian has a role to play. “The Premier has set the direction, but it’s up to all of us to walk the path together. If we each contribute our skills and ideas, Sarawak can truly lead in sustainable development.” Beyond work, Petty stays grounded through evening runs at the Bintulu Stadium and fondly recalls moments of solidarity during tough times like the COVID-19 pandemic. “It was tough, but we kept the mood light at work and supported each other,” she said with a smile. Her advice to young engineers is simple- stay curious, keep learning and have the courage to try. For Petty, engineering is not just a career- it is her way of helping shape a cleaner, safer and more sustainable future.
It is far from petty, the work that Pettymilona Michael, or simply Petty, as her colleagues call her, does each day as an engineer. At OCI Terrasus’ Samalaju Plant, this young petite assistant manager for process improvement for trichlorosilane process puts her at the heart of operations, where she monitors performance, analyzes data, and drives projects - sometimes with international experts- all with one goal in mind, making the plant safer, smarter and more sustainable. Born and raised in Bintulu, Petty has always wanted her work to give back to her home state, Sarawak. After graduating in Chemical Engineering from National University of Malaysia (UKM) in 2018, she joined OCI TerraSus straight out of university. It did not take long for her to find her calling in projects that resonated with her passion for a better, greener world. “Sarawak has big dreams, especially in clean energy,” she said. “Working here means I get to be part of that journey.” Her mornings begin with the commute from Bintulu to Samalaju, whereby 8am. she is already in the control room, reviewing the plant’s status before the daily morning meeting. These gatherings bring together engineers, leaders and boardmen to align priorities, sharpen the focus on safety and keep operations running smoothly. For Petty, every day is about making things better. “Process optimization doesn’t just make our plant safer. It also reduces our environmental footprint and supports Sarawak’s clean energy ambitions,” she explained. In an industry often dominated by men, Petty has learned that success is built on mutual respect, embracing differences and having the courage to speak up. “It’s easy to communicate and seek opinions from everyone- from frontliners to section managers. Everyone’s views are valued and heard,” she said. Her calm approach and ability to adapt help her thrive even in high-pressure situations. And when challenges arise? She counts on teamwork. “When things get difficult, I can rely on my team’s support to find better solutions together.” Petty finds inspiration in Sarawak’s Premier, whom she sees as a visionary leader charting a clean energy future. “His passion for developing Sarawak and making it a leader in clean energy makes me confident that the work I’m doing is helping my homeland move in the right direction,” she said. She believes that every Sarawakian has a role to play. “The Premier has set the direction, but it’s up to all of us to walk the path together. If we each contribute our skills and ideas, Sarawak can truly lead in sustainable development.” Beyond work, Petty stays grounded through evening runs at the Bintulu Stadium and fondly recalls moments of solidarity during tough times like the COVID-19 pandemic. “It was tough, but we kept the mood light at work and supported each other,” she said with a smile. Her advice to young engineers is simple- stay curious, keep learning and have the courage to try. For Petty, engineering is not just a career- it is her way of helping shape a cleaner, safer and more sustainable future.