SOME 20,000 job opportunities will be created through foreign and domestic investments in Sabah, said State Industry Development and Entrepreneurship Minister Datuk Phoong Jin Zhe.
He said the job opportunities are in various professional and managerial fields such as engineering, technology and operations.
“Foreign and domestic investments in the industrial sector are significant to Sabah to create more job opportunities for the people while also reducing the unemployment rate,” he said at the State Legislative Assembly.
He was answering a question by Sulabayan Assemblyman Datuk Jaujan Sambakong.
Phoong said the job opportunities involve 10 companies in various fields of investment, including the green steel industry, cement, waste management, logistics hubs and seafood processing, among others.
“These job opportunities are expected to be created between 2024 and 2035, taking into account the period of the investment implementation. They (job opportunities) do not include investment by SK Nexilis Malaysia Sdn Bhd and Kumpulan Kibing, both operational since this year.
“The Ministry will always intensify efforts to attract more investment, whether foreign or domestic, to Sabah so that more job opportunities can be created and simultaneously reduce the brain drain in the State,” he said.
To a supplementary question by Jaujan, Phoong acknowledged the current challenges in meeting the human resource demands of foreign companies.
However, he expressed confidence that continued collaboration with various stakeholders will fulfil the workforce requirements for foreign investments in the future.
“While initially facing difficulties in hiring Sabahans to fill job vacancies, we are proud that SK Nexilis and the Kibing Group have employed over 80 per cent of Sabahans in their workforce.
“For now, out of 336 employees of SK Nexilis, 294 are Sabahans (97.5 per cent). Out of 1,439 employees of Kibing’s plant in KKIP, 1,199 are Sabahans (83.3 per cent). Out of 210 employees of Kibing’s plant in Sikuati, Kudat, 180 are Sabahans (85.71 per cent),” he said.
Phoong reassured that efforts are underway to attract Sabahans who have migrated to other areas for employment.
He further explained that foreign investments and the development of the solar energy industry in Sabah are integral components of the State’s industrialisation journey.
“I pledge to put in every effort to construct the solar energy industry chain, drive Sabah’s industrialisation and create a bright future for the people of Sabah,” he said.
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