Government to Prioritise Local Workers for Masela Block Project, Sends Youths to Akamigas Polytechnic

Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Bahlil Lahadalia has stressed that the government will prioritise local workers for the Abadi LNG Masela Block national strategic project in the Tanimbar Islands Regency, Maluku. He revealed that a number of local youths have already been sent to study at the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources’ Akamigas Energy and Mineral Polytechnic in Cepu. “They will all be absorbed to work on the Masela Block project before we recruit workers from outside the region,” Bahlil said in a statement on Friday, 17 July 2026. The project, which has been planned since 1998 and was delayed for nearly 28 years, is estimated to absorb around 12,000 direct workers during the construction phase, and between 800 and 1,000 workers during the operational phase. He stated that the need for professional workers would be prioritised from the Tanimbar Islands Regency and Southwest Maluku Regency. If these requirements cannot be met, recruitment will then be opened to other regions or from abroad. “We will take professional jobs from tier one and tier two first. We must not let local people think that investment is coming in but they are not being prioritised,” he said. Bahlil noted that the project is finally entering the construction phase after spanning six government administrations, with various dynamics including discussions on whether to build production facilities offshore or onshore. He said the government is moving quickly to provide certainty on all permits that have received the Plan of Development approval so that construction can begin. “Under the direction and orders of President Prabowo Subianto, the government is moving quickly to provide certainty on all permits that have received the Plan of Development, so that today we can finally begin construction,” Bahlil said. He also reminded oil and gas concession holders to immediately realise projects that have received approval as part of accelerating investment in the national energy sector. In addition to labour absorption, the government is also asking project operators to prioritise the involvement of local entrepreneurs in all work that can be carried out by regional businesses. “I request that all work that can be done by local entrepreneurs be prioritised for them. Investment must provide real benefits for the people in the region,” he said.