By DayakDaily Team
KUCHING, Oct 1: Sarawak is positioning technical professionals as a key enabler in translating its sustainability ambitions into economic progress as the State accelerates development towards a low-carbon and technology-driven economy.
Sarawak Deputy Minister for Energy and Environmental Sustainability Datuk Dr Hazland Abang Hipni said the shift was creating new industries, investments, businesses and professions, making technical capability increasingly critical.
“To capture these opportunities, we need more than technology and capital; we need technical capability,” he said in a media release.
Dr Hazland highlighted this at the launch of the National Technical Profession Day (HPTN) 2026 National Showcase at the MyASEAN Roads & Traffic Tech Expo (MyARTTE) 2026 at the Malaysia International Trade and Exhibition Centre (MITEC) in Kuala Lumpur today.
He launched the showcase on behalf of Premier Sarawak Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg.
Dr Hazland said Sarawak’s Post Covid-19 Development Strategy (PCDS) 2030 places environmental sustainability alongside economic prosperity and social inclusivity, with technical professionals expected to play a key role in delivering projects and industries arising from the transition.
“Technical professionals will not simply participate in our transition towards sustainability. They will help deliver it. Investment in technical professions is ultimately an investment in our economic future,” he emphasised.
Themed “Technical Professions: Driving Sustainability”, HPTN 2026 will be held at the Borneo Convention Centre Kuching on Dec 1 and 2, bringing together government, industry, academia, investors and technical professionals across 10 sectors, including green technology, ICT, construction, manufacturing, biotechnology, transportation and resource-based industries.
The event is expected to feature about 238 exhibition booths, 1,500 exhibitors and 5,000 visitors, alongside six main programmes covering technical talks, product and innovation sessions, STEM, career development and business engagements, including business-to-business meetings and a Hosted Buyer Programme.
Public Works Department (JKR) Sarawak director and HPTN 2026 organising committee chairman Datu Ir Cassidy Morris said the event aimed to connect technical expertise with industry, investment and commercial opportunities, positioning HPTN as a marketplace for ideas, technology, talent and business.
“HPTN 2026 is not only about celebrating technical professionals. We want to create a platform where knowledge meets industry, innovation meets opportunity, and technical capability can translate into real economic value,” he said.
He added that bringing the showcase to MyARTTE provided an opportunity to introduce HPTN 2026 nationally while highlighting Sarawak’s capabilities in technical professions, technology, innovation and sustainability.
HPTN, which has been held for nine years as a national platform for Malaysia’s technical professions, is jointly organised by JKR Malaysia, the Ministry of Works, the Sarawak government and JKR Sarawak, with VFive Group Sdn Bhd as national strategic partner and Wira Akil Sdn Bhd as premier partner.
The National Showcase at MyARTTE serves as a precursor to the main HPTN 2026 programme in Kuching, which is aimed at connecting technical expertise with industry, investment and the development of Malaysia’s next generation of technical professionals. — DayakDaily
