Malaysia should be more open for greater progress – German economist
KOTA KINABALU: For Malaysia to continue progressing in its development path, it borders have to remain open.
German economist, Professor Dr Klaus F. Zimmermann said this yesterday during Universiti Malaysia Sabah's (UMS) Seminar on Global Labour Economic: Challenges and Benefits.
“This is my opinion. I think Malaysia should be more open, not only to allow people to come in but also to give its people the opportunity to go abroad, and also encouraging outsiders to invest here.
“Having more open borders will give a wider knowledge to its people to see what is good for the country.
“I think UMS did a great job by organising this seminar so that its students will understand more on how to face the global economic labour.
“In general, the future of a country is shaped by the higher education,” he said.
Klaus was one of the speakers at the one-day event which was organised by the Faculty of Business, Economic and Accountancy of UMS.
According to UMS Vice Chancellor Datuk Dr D Kamarudin D Mudin, the seminar was held in conjunction with UMS Silver Jubilee celebration.
“In Malaysia, the demand for labour at a time when the agriculture sector was predominant is different from the nature of labour demanded. Labour-intensive production methods were appropriate in the years after Malaysia's independence, such methods of production are no longer desirable or optimal.
“The changing nature of the economies in the region adds a further source of pressure on the supply of labour.
“Malaysia used to be a favoured destination for foreign direct investment (FDI) because of its labour endowments. It encourages foreign investors to base their factories in Malaysia.
“Malaysia is caught in the middle-income trap and wants to come out. Towards this end, it has to change the character of its labour force.
“The labour force that can drive Malaysia to a higher level of development will have to be knowledge-based, creative and skilled. It is these features that the workforce has to develop, and thus reach a developed country status,” said Kamarudin.
He added that UMS responded to this phenomenon to ensure graduates to be more creative and competitive in the labour market, align with the university's vision by uplifting the UMS graduates in global arena.
Kamarudin's speech was delivered by his deputy Prof Dr Rasid Mail.