Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan said Sarawak is seeking to reverse the brain drain that has seen many talented Sarawakians leave the state in search of better opportunities.
KUCHING: The Sarawak government is calling on Sarawakian professionals working elsewhere in Malaysia and abroad to return home and help fill the growing number of vacancies in the state’s professional and skilled sectors.
Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan said Sarawak is seeking to reverse the brain drain that has seen many talented Sarawakians leave the state in search of better opportunities.
“We in Sarawak are calling for the return of our brain power.
“If you are a Sarawakian working outside the state in professional fields, for multinational companies, or in your own ventures, please consider coming back to Sarawak.
“Sarawak needs your expertise as increasing vacancies are emerging across professional sectors and high-tech industries that are flourishing in the state.
“Bring your talents back to Sarawak.
“Your homeland needs your talent and energy,” he said in a statement issued by the Sarawak Public Communications Unit.
The unit said Awang Tengah made the remarks during a gathering with members of the Malaysian Students Association in South Korea.
He is currently on a working visit to South Korea to meet various Korean industrial players and investors.
Awang Tengah also urged foreign investors operating in Sarawak to employ more local Sarawakians.
He said this would accelerate technology transfer and help develop a highly skilled local workforce.
He also expressed appreciation to South Korean high-tech companies operating in the Samalaju Industrial Park for employing large numbers of Sarawakians.
“This will help locals acquire knowledge and expertise at a faster rate,” he said.
Meanwhile, Yang di-Pertua Negeri Tun Pehin Sri Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar recently voiced concern over the low participation of Sarawak Bumiputeras in the state’s expanding high-tech sectors.
He said Bumiputeras, who make up about 80 per cent of Sarawak’s population, should move away from an overreliance on desk jobs and pursue careers in technical and vocational fields, which are increasingly offering attractive salaries and career prospects.
“There are golden opportunities emerging in Sarawak’s industrial sectors that require workers with technical and vocational skills, as well as expertise in engineering and science.
“For too long, Bumiputera youths in Sarawak have opted for easier subjects and office-based jobs.
“As a result, many have missed out on opportunities in technical, vocational and industrial sectors that have become highly impactful and well-paying.
“Bumiputeras in Sarawak must undergo a change in mindset.
“They should not only aim for easier jobs, or they risk being left further behind as Sarawak rapidly transforms in areas that require technical and vocational expertise as well as engineering and scientific knowledge,” he said in his Gawai Dayak message.
Wan Junaidi also encouraged school-leavers to seriously consider pursuing technical, vocational and entrepreneurial skills rather than focusing solely on academically oriented courses.
He urged parents to support this shift in mindset.
“Parents of Bumiputera students must guide their children towards science, engineering, technical and vocational fields, as the future of Sarawak lies in these sectors,” he said.
