Sarawak must engage with world investors, industry players to move up economic ladder

For young people of ages between 17 to 20 years now, they will have every chance to get high paying jobs in the next five years with the development of the core heavy industries and later downstream activities in SCORE development area towards the year 2020 and beyond.  

Tanjung Manis Halal Hub

It is projected that the development of SCORE will create about 1.6 million jobs, about 900,000 in the development area itself by the year 2030.  The rest will be created outside it. The hi-tech projects will go to Kuching while those related to tourism industry will be centred in Miri, which has set itself to specialize in the industry as a resort city.  

As 55% of the jobs will be created in SCORE development area, those areas from Tanjung Manis all the way to Samalaju, down south to the border of Kapit and Baram, will experience a big shift in the population. The new development will create lots of job opportunities in real property development.  

 Miri has more than 600,000 people but the jobs projections will be 820,000. This means Miri will require more development in construction and greater growth in education. It will also have other development that accompanies a big shift in economic development, towards the year 2020 and beyond.  The education sector is expected to benefit the most in future development.  

Conservatively, it is projected that 52% of the work force will comprise of sub- professionals and professionals or semi-skilled and skilled workers or people with qualifications from diploma level upward. The jobs will be for those with technical skills and training. They will be technically biased and pay very well.  

Understandably, all the industries will require workers with various technical skills, for example, to do the maintenance works once the industries start to operate. More of them will be required during the period of operation as compared to those during the stage of decision making and construction. 

Tanjung Manis Airport

For this reason, the State government has been making conscientious efforts to set up technical colleges and skills development training centers and conduct public awareness campaign to encourage young people, if they cannot go to universities, to pursue courses at technical colleges. Besides, they are also encouraged to pursue technical courses even in universities. 

In this respect, the alumni, community leaders are urged to encourage young people to pursue technical courses in building their capacities for jobs that will be created towards the year 2020 and beyond.

The development of SCORE serves as a new foundation for Sarawak’s economy. It heralds a new era of industrial development, mainly the development heavy industries in the first five years.  The development of downstream industries will escalate using aluminum, palm oil, deep sea fishing and aquaculture after that period. The development of downstream industries using the right technology will also make the State to become world players like those, who are involved in the development of heavy industries.  

Besides, the State will also be developing bio-tech industries, which will require more people with skills to become Laboratory assistants, Research assistants and technical posts. These are the sectors in the agro-based industries that require people with technical skills and expertise. 

Understandably, Sarawak Electricity Board (SEB) will require more supporting staff in electrical and mechanical engineering with the State’s plan to generate by the year 2020 at least 6,000 to 7,000 MW of electricity to meet the requirements of local industries. The state must generate sufficient supply of electricity at reasonable costs in order to attract more investors to set up high energy consumption industries locally. 

Basically, for Sarawak, to come up the ladder of economic success within the framework of Economic Transformation Program (ETP, means it has to be engaged with the world investors and players and not just small industries. The State must develop new sources. The development of heavy industries that can trigger many downstream industries is definitely the answer to all the expectations of the people, the new generation in particular.  

Understandably, as the industries require huge investment, the State, through RECODA, has to invite big multi-national companies with investments range from RM4 billion, RM6 billion and sometimes RM 10 billion to develop them.  The gigantic projects cannot be carried out with small investments.  

Tanjung Manis Integrated Port

The Government, on its part, has to spend up to RM1 billion or RM2 billion to construct roads to the sites of hydro dam.  To construct a hydro dam requires an expenditure of M4 billion or RM6 billion, sometimes RM10 billion.

There are no other states that have rivers for hydro dams to generate electricity except Sarawak.  Secondly, Sarawak has more than 500 million tons of coal reserves. However, the coal contains 20% to 30% of water and not suitable for export. In other words, the coal has moisture content.

However, it can be used to power generating station.  Ideally, the generating station must be set up near the coal site in order to generate electricity with less transportation costs. The State has the potentials to generate more than 20,000 megawatt of electricity, using coal and hydropower, in the next 20 years.  This means more factories that consume a lot of energy can be set up in Sarawak. 

Generally, the State, like the rest of the country, is also implementing the Government Transformation Plan with the primary objective to migrate from the medium income to the high income economy towards the year 2020 and beyond. Understandably, it will demand greater innovation and creativity from workers in whatever jobs they do. 

The industries and other economic activities will employ young people with skills and trainings on the process.  It is the only way for the State to achieve the status of a developed nation which must be sustainable; the state must not only achieve the goal but sustain the success for the future generations. The State per capita income has increased by seven times during the last 30 years.  That explains why the people are generally living a more comfortable life.  

Tanjung Manis Residential Area

Chief Minister, Pehin Sri Haji Abdul Taib Mahmud, during one of his dialogues with youth leaders, says Sarawak is on a firm ground to become a developed State by the year 2020. It has already achieved the per capita income of USD10,000 this year. So the target of USD 15,000, the international standard of measurement for the status of a developed nation, should not be difficult to achieve towards the year 2020. 

Besides, with more and more people able to acquire superior knowledge, the State will be able to migrate from the medium income to high income economy or the modern economy during that period.    

He recalls his request to the Federal government for a full-fledged university to be set up in Sarawak 10 years ago.  Now Sarawak has UNIMAS, three university campuses. The people start to believe they have chances. Now a student can spend 1/3 of the amount of money to go to university than during his time. When he went to Adelaide University in Australia, he had to pay three times more than the cost locally. 

Pehin Sri Abdul Taib reminds the youth leaders that the only way to succeed or to get rich in life is by having superior knowledge.  They do not have to entertain the idea of being discriminated against as such negative feeling could make them feel disheartened; it make them feel it is of no use being smart. In other words, if they nurture that kind of attitude they will be discouraged to study properly. 

Tanjung Manis Terminal

He says a person, who has got the brain power and right attitude should be able to do well in life in a developing country like ours. Generally, the people can do well provided they have the determination to work hard. For that matter, anybody can become rich provided they have superior knowledge. 

Besides, the people must also learn more about management and understand the market much more than some people. 

For example, a tour operator in Bario today is selling his tour package through the Internet. He does not use advertisement nor   employs a tour operator in Kuching to promote his tour package.  He posts pictures relating to jungle trekking, birds watching, lodging in longhouses and other activities. He has been successful because he uses his knowledge in business.

benuasains

 *Photos Source: 

google.com.my
http://www.tanjungmanishalalhub.com
http://www.sarawaktimber.org.my/content.php?do=tanjung_manis_new_township