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ShellNews.net: A Open Letter from a Shell insider to Jon Chadwick, Chairman of Shell Malaysia: Monday 5 December 2005

Received from a Shell Malaysian insider: name and address has been supplied.

To Datuk Jon Chadwick

I am writing this open letter to you on behalf of a number of Shell Malaysian employees, past and current, who have made their feelings known to me.

Whenever your name appears in the Malaysian news something seem very wrong. Why is that so?

 
Answer. Because you should not be making any more negative news!
 
We Malaysians are not interested in you singing melodies like those made by the ravens until you answer some simple questions, some of which have been previously put to you at our prompting via this providential website. There was no response, possibly because the questions were too difficult for you to understand? 
 
Since you appear in the papers again, we would like to ask you some questions in relation to the comments attributed to you in the press: "We are not sitting on our laurels; we have been here for 114 years and we are investing at record levels," "Shell has been investing about eight mln rgt in capital every day in Malaysia this year, of which most are into E&P activity.” "I think our investment level will be sustained at the very least till next year,"  
 
  1. Jon how do you “defend the sympathetic attitude displayed towards Shell’s American employees, versus the contemptible hard-hearted treatment of Malaysian employees?”
  1. Jon how do you defend Shell’s discredited senior management – fat cats like you – treating yourselves to a fleet of luxury executives jets after Shell has paid nearly a quarter of a billion dollars in fines and settlements after deceiving shareholders in respect of hydrocarbon reserves and after misappropriating employee pension funds?
  1. Jon how do you defend Shell giving the disgraced former Group Chairman, Sir Philip Watts, an $18 million dollar pension pot while short-changing the pensions of loyal honest Malaysian employees who have never cheated anyone?
  1. Jon how do you defend Royal Dutch Shell stating in a legal document written on 18 May 2005 that Alfred Donovan is entitled to publish his opinions about Shell on his website, while Shell at that very moment held (and continues to hold) a Malaysian High Court injunction against a courageous Malaysian, Dr John Huong (and has threatened him with imprisonment) for articles under his name which Alfred Donovan published on the very same website. Again it is one rule for the Anglo-Saxon and another for the Malaysian National.  Mr Donovan is apparently entitled to freedom of speech under the HUMAN rights laws and conventions but it seems that Shell does not believe that this right extends to Malaysians.
  1. Jon were the pension fund trustees appointed to manage the retirement funds made by competent or incompetent Shell Managers?????
  1. Jon, is it true that the Malaysian retirement benefits were for a few consecutive years making zero returns in the same period when all the stocks were making money? Why were the employees not informed by the trustees that the returns were in the red?
  1. Jon, Was Paul Gerla, the financial Controller for Shell Malaysia, aware of all the fishy goings on in regard to the relevant Malaysian retirement funds? Was he also among others, a trustee for the retirement fund?
  1. Jon, can you tell us why Paul Gerla resigned: this important issue was not mentioned in your email leaked to ShellNews.net. Your current and former employees want to know the truth!
  1. Jon can you also tell us the reasons why Gerewat Gala, the Legal Advisor for Shell Malaysia resigned?
  1. Jon, can you please share with us a long list of your noble accomplishments and/or contributions made for the well-being of Malaysians during your tenure as Chairman of Shell Malaysia, which resulted in you being accorded the title “Datuk”; a title which is akin to the respectable title of “Sir”. Jon you said Shell has been around for some 114 years. Can you tell us what contributions you have made. We Malaysians are curious to know!
  1. Jon, you recently sent out an email asking all Malaysian Shell employees to comply with the Shell Statement of General Business Principles (SGBP) on the basis that any breach could result in disciplinary action, including dismissal. These strictures presumably also apply to you. Do you believe wholeheartedly in the SGBP and comply with it yourself?
  1. Jon, it was interesting to read your comments in your recent email: “I would also like to repeat the Company’s earlier assurances that it is committed to honouring all legal obligations resulting from the final outcome of the appeals process, and to continuing to keep you informed of relevant developments”.  Jon, I would again remind you of the news reports: “Ageing and sickly, ex-Shell staff wait on court”: - “Some have died. Others are losing their memory and many are ailing.”  This is indeed true, try asking them in front of their graves or their traumatised family members - ex staff such as Jimmy Layang, Nyilipi Bunyau, Apok Ruka, etc. They could have benefited from their monies to pay for medical treatment which you denied them, but alas they are now dead. You certainly seem to have a lot on your conscience!  Jon what do you say about this?
  1. Jon recently you appeared in the news again on the “Shell programme known as "We Care, We Share". How do you expect to be taken seriously as a Chairman of an International Company when you have not bothered to answer the above questions. You seem more interested in rising your media profile by indulging in spin and hype instead of answering important questions of great interest to the rank and file employees.
  1. Jon can you give us a tabulation showing how much yearly investments that Shell made per company over the last 15 years and at the same time how much net profit Shell made over the same period. We like to understand how you do your accounting on capital movements between numerous intra-companies under the banner of Shell Malaysia and the final accounting numbers presented to the shareholders and the Government of Malaysia.
  1. Jon can you also show us how many barrels of oil were produced each year and how many trains of LNG were sold over the same period?
  1. Jon can you then tell us how much profit you make this year from one train of LNG sold.  At the same time can you tell us the percentage of investment (8 Million Ringgit daily or 2,920,000,000 mln rgt per year/ USD 774,535,809) against the earnings made, including the projected sum for fiscal year 2005? It appears like an astronomical sum but the translation to USD does not seem to suggest so in relation to a very profitable oil/gas earnings announced quarterly.  To a public observer these numbers are overwhelming and need your good explanation to comprehend.
  1. Jon, is it true that you have started a Human Resource innovation known as the Selected Staff on Retention Allowance Programme that caused uproar from the various Shell Unions and the Malaysian Senior Staff Council for which you have an offsite meeting in Sabah?  Can you share with us how that came about and the reasons why you are losing critical positions, especially in the subsurface that are greatly needed in our business? Will you share with us what took place in that meeting or do you want us to tell our version of the story?
Jon, No doubt you will sit in front of your near Japanese like garden in Piasau Camp, Number 100  in Miri from time to time to see if the beautiful tropical sea view of the setting sun in front of your patio, stocked with wines from Tuscany, hi-fi stereos music of Bach and Beethoven, allows you to forget your betrayal of the love and support that your employees have given Shell over the years, which has made their lives and/or their family lives really sad and miserable. 
 
References:
 
 
AFX Europe (Focus): Shell Malaysia expects active investment in exploration/production – report: “Shell Malaysia is seeking more exploration and production (E&P) projects as well as profitable downstream opportunities, the Star newspaper reported, quoting the company's chairman Jon Chadwick.”: Monday December 2005
 
KUALA LUMPUR (AFX) - Shell Malaysia is seeking more exploration and production (E&P) projects as well as profitable downstream opportunities, the Star newspaper reported, quoting the company's chairman Jon Chadwick.
 
"That is what will be driving us in the years to come," he added.
 
Chadwick said that the E&P business is growing and investment levels remain very robust.
 
"We are not sitting on our laurels; we have been here for 114 years and we are investing at record levels," he added.
 
He said that Shell has been investing about eight mln rgt in capital every day in Malaysia this year, of which most are into E&P activity. "I think our investment level will be sustained at the very least till next year," he said.
 
He added that the company plans to invest at least 12 bln rgt in the country from 2003 to 2007.
 
(1 usd = 3.77 rgt)
 
 
ac/tr 

ARTICLE ENDS

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Alfred Donovan has had business dealings with Shell stretching back almost 50 years. In the 1980’s & 90’s the sales promotion company he founded with his son, John (Don Marketing) created and supplied multimillion dollar national promotions for Shell on an international basis. He and his son probably hold the world record for suing Shell, having subsequently brought a series of court actions: five for breach of confidence or breach of contract, and two for libel. They have never lost a case against Shell. Details about the litigation are published on ShellNews.net, the unique website owned by the Donovan’s. It contains the world’s largest collection of articles, news and reports focused on Royal Dutch Shell and its activities – astonishingly, over 6,000 web pages. Mr Donovan own and uses the registration to the dotcom domain name for Shell’s unified $200 billion (USD) company: Royal Dutch Shell Plc (royaldutchshellplc.com). Shell made an unsuccessful attempt to seize it by instituting proceedings via the World Intellectual Property Organisation in May 2005. A WIPO panel gave a unanimous verdict in favour of Mr Donovan in August.

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