Call to set up technological universities in Sabah
KOTA KINABALU: The Association of Sabah National Type Chinese School Management Committee (Sabah Dong Lian) has expressed its hope that Minister of International Trade and Industry Darell Leiking will develop more industries and lure renowned technological universities to Sabah in efforts to retain local talents.
Darell had said that Sabah possessed huge potential and vowed to do his best to bring development to the State and create more job opportunities locally.
He made the remark during a courtesy call by Sabah Dong Lian chairman Ben Lim Kiat Kong and his committee members in Kuala Lumpur recently.
Lim has suggested setting up foreign technological colleges or universities in Sabah for local students to study skill-based courses without having to go overseas.
“The job opportunities created will also effectively reduce the brain drain in our State,” said Lim.
According to him, many youngsters who graduated abroad were reluctant to return to Sabah because of the lack of job opportunities and lower pay here.
In response, Leiking said the longstanding issue of electricity supply must be addressed before foreign companies could set up their operations here.
“We also need to expand the existing ports as well,” he said.
According to the World Bank records as of 2010, the number of Malaysians working in Singapore numbered around 385,000, followed by Australia (116,000) and England (69,000). Over 50 percent of Malaysians working abroad have tertiary education.
Also present at the courtesy call was Sabah Dong Lian honorary chairman Tham Yun Fook.