KUCHING, October 15: Local agencies are urged to prioritise the training of local technical manpower to ensure the long-term sustainability of the state’s technical capabilities and for its future manpower planning.
According to Assistant Minister of Infrastructure and Port Development Datuk Julaihi Narawi, the lack of technical manpower is always the key problem and instead of relying on imported manpower, a long-term solution is needed by training youngsters and fresh graduates in the state.
“Now we have the opportunity to do that, because we have a number of mega projects, such as the coastal road, second trunk road that would be coming up, the Pan Borneo (highway) project, and many others. We should get our contractors to recruit our youngsters and get them involved in the mega project rather than leaving them to apply for an office job.
“I believe it is possible. It is a matter of will on our part to enforce or implement it, and once this project is completed in three or five years’ time, we are ready with our local technical manpower,” he said during the closing ceremony for “Workshop on Administration of Contracts Towards Project Delivery Excellence for Sarawak Government Projects” held at a hotel here today.
Julaihi also pointed out that by doing this, Sarawak would not have to rely on manpower from countries such as Indonesia and others.
He said once the imported manpower has been trained here, they will return back to their own country and will not serve Sarawak.
“It is high time to look into this matter and it should be looked upon as a responsibility by all the relevant departments and agencies, not only the human resources department.
“Everyone should play their role to make the training of local technical manpower as one of the priorities in our future technical manpower planning,” he added. — DayakDaily
