SUNGAI PETANI: The need for renewable energy (RE) in the country is increasing in line with the confidence of foreign investors, especially in establishing data centres.
Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof said the situation presents a challenge to the government in ensuring that the demand can be met apart from the need for water supply to draw investors.
“Right now in Johor alone, the demand for renewable energy is approximately 8,000 megawatts, as it is with the (amount of) water supply to cool the data centre.
“It means that if we are not ready, then these investors will not come. That’s why we have to find a way to ensure that we can supply the energy needed by the investors,” he said.
He was speaking at Majlis Jamuan Jalinan Perpaduan Ahli Dewan Undangan Negeri Sidam, Badan Bukan Kerajaan Siam dan Ketua-Ketua Agensi here tonight.
Fadillah, who is also the Minister of Energy Transition and Water Transformation, said the situation also required the necessary human resources, especially the working class with upskilled knowledge to meet the needs of investors.
He said in that regard, Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) plays a pivotal role in producing a local technical workforce in accordance with foreign investor demands.
“This is precisely what is being implemented under the leadership of our Prime Minister (Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim). That is why TVET is being focused on for us to train, now under (Deputy Prime Minister) Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, to focus on how we want to ensure that this TVET (education) is widespread,” he also said.
Fadillah emphasised the responsibility of ensuring that Malaysians are equipped with new technical knowledge and skills, which must be supported by all quarters so that foreign investment can materialise here.
Also present at the event were Sungai Petani Member of Parliament Dr Mohammed Taufiq Johari and Sidam state assemblyman Bau Wong Bau Ek.
