Kedah needs more technicians, state assembly told

ALOR SETAR - The Kedah State Assembly (DUN) was today told that the number of technically skilled workers in the state is still insufficient to fill the many vacancies that are still offered, especially in high investment fields.

State Industry and Investment, Science, Technology and Innovation and Higher Education Committee chairman Datuk Dr Ku Abd Rahman Ku Ismail said it is estimated that 24,000 technicians are needed at Kulim Hi-Tech Park (KHTP) for the period from 2023 to 2025.

"So far, Kedah people working in KHTP is as much as 82 percent but we want more Kedahans to fill the existing vacancies and hold middle and upper positions because they are usually filled by expatriates," he said.

He was replying to a question from Datuk Seri Mukhriz Tun Mahathir (Pejuang-Jitra) who wanted to know about the state government's plans to ensure sufficient labour supply in Kedah for the high-tech industry.

Ku Abd Rahman said foreign companies that invest in Kedah are seen to be able to offer job opportunities to Kedahans, including in KHTP.

"To ensure that the positions can be filled by the people of Kedah, interest in the technical and engineering field needs to be instilled in children from the primary school level so that it continues to grow," he said.

He added that the children of Kedah should continue to be encouraged to delve into the field of Science at school, especially in Pure Science, which can help meet the skilled manpower needed in this state. - BERNAMA