By Doreen Ling
KUCHING, May 18: The Sarawak government, through the Ministry of Education, Innovation, and Talent Development, has initiated the Sarawak Talent Development Policy and Framework Study to retain talent within the State.
In his ministerial winding-up speech at the Sarawak Legislative Assembly (DUS) sitting today, Dato Sri Roland Sagah Wee Inn noted the outmigration of approximately 20 per cent of Sarawakian graduates seeking better wages and alignment with their qualifications.
He also said that data from 2024 has revealed that 253,600 individuals remain outside the labour force, primarily due to caregiving and family responsibilities, representing a significant pool of untapped potential.
“While programmes like the Free Tertiary Education Scheme (FTES) and the Graduates Enhancement Training Sarawak (GETS) support entry into the workforce, retaining talent beyond early career stages remains difficult due to wage gaps and skill mismatches,” he said.
To address this, he said, the Sarawak government has initiated the Sarawak Talent Development Policy and Framework Study, which is led by Ernst & Young Malaysia, University Malaysia Sarawak (Unimas), University of Technology Sarawak (UTS), and the Sarawak Premier’s Office.
The study will provide a data-driven roadmap to strengthen the State’s talent ecosystem, with the key deliverables of the study including:
- A comprehensive Talent Development Policy and Framework
- A sector-based workforce analysis
- A competitive Sarawak Employment Package to address wage gaps
- A Human Resource Council framework to strengthen governance
- Robust systems for workforce data monitoring and reporting
“Our mission is to facilitate the movement of Sarawakians into high-value employment, directly translating into improved household incomes,” he said. — DayakDaily
