CM: S’wak keen on further cooperation with Australia in Tafe
KUCHING: Sarawak is exploring the possibilities of further collaboration with Australia in the development of Sarawak’s human resource, particularly in skills training, said Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg in Melbourne, Australia yesterday.
Abang Johari said this in a brief address during a briefing at the Kangan Institute in Melbourne city centre as the chief minister and his delegation arrived on a five- day working visit to the capital city of Victoria State.
Kangan Institute is one of Victoria State’s largest providers of apprenticeship training with strong relationship across a range of industries in Australia.
On Thursday, Abang Johari – accompanied by his wife Datuk Amar Juma’ani Tuanku Bujang – will be receiving the Doctor of the University honorary award of Swinburne University of Technology in recognition of his long and outstanding service to Sarawak.
Yesterday afternoon’s visit was part of the chief minister’s itinerary while in Melbourne that also includes a meeting with members of the Victoria Chamber of Commerce scheduled for today.
Abang Johari pointed out that as Sarawak is embarking on the development of green transport, it would certainly need a strong human resource base to man and maintain the new mode of public transport once it is implemented.
“That’s what we are interested in,” he told the host comprising Kangan’s chief executive officer Trevor Schwenke, Automotive Centre of Excellence executive director Joe Ballato and staff members.
Schwenke, who said the institute would be willing to assist Sarawak, expressed his sincere hope that further discussion would follow suit to determine how best they can help Sarawak in training and further education (Tafe).
The Sarawak government had drafted a programme to build a light rail transit ( LRT) system that would serve Kuching and greater Kuching with a view to developing an efficient mass transit system for the city using trains that would run on hydrogen fuel.
The programme had been deferred to give priority to rural development but public opinion has warranted a reconsideration of a route linking Kota Samarahan and Kuching to solve traffic congestion between the two areas.
Abang Johari also said that Sarawak was equally keen to collaborate with the institute on training in the field of smart and digital agriculture as the state was embarking on an agricultural transformation programme in its quest to become a net food producer.
Members of the chief minister’s delegation included Assistant Minister of Education and Technological Research Dr Annuar Rapaee, Deputy State Secretary Datu Abu Bakar Marzuki, Sarawak Skills Development Centre ( PPKS) chairman Tan Sri Datuk Amar Abdul Aziz Hussain and Swinburne University of Technology Sarawak board and council members.
That’s what we are interested in. Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg, Chief Minister