By Nigel Edgar
KUCHING, Aug 23: The Sarawak Skills Development Centre (PPKS) will be setting up an Advanced Automotive Training College (AATC) in the near future.
Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg assured that the state government will give full support to PPKS in setting up the AATC, while suggesting that the college should consider training courses on hydrogen automotive engineering in line with the state’s clean energy and hydrogen industry ambition.
“That (hydrogen) becomes a basis for us to run our vehicles. Today, on trial, we have two cars driven by hydrogen and three buses. What does it mean? It means that we need to have hydrogen technicians.
“People who know about hydrogen (technology) and technicians that can maintain such vehicles are going to be the future. I agree that PPKS and i-CATS should have a campus to train people in automotive engineering based on hydrogen,” he said at PPKS 25th Anniversary Dinner, here, yesterday.
Abang Johari said that since Sarawak is the pioneer in hydrogen industry in the country and even in the region, expressed hope that PPKS is able to produce skilled hydrogen automotive engineers and experts.
Sarawak could also delve into making or assembling hydrogen powered vehicles, he added.
“Maybe tomorrow if we have skilled technicians, skilled automotive engineers, we may perhaps be able to assemble hydrogen vehicles here in Sarawak with our partners because we have talented people,” he said.
Abang Johari hoped that PPKS would be able to produce these particular workforce by the year 2030, which would be very much needed to drive the state into Industrial Revolution 4.0. — DayakDaily
