KOTA KINABALU: There is a need to set up more oil and gas related industries here in an effort to attract skilled Sabahans to return home and work.
Sabah Oil and Gas Contractors Association president Datuk Iskandar Malik in making the call, disclosed that a lot of skilled manpower from Sabah refused to return home due to the lack of job opportunities in their homeland.
“We do have demand for skilled manpower with the current development of oil and gas in the state, but it is not enough to attract them to return home. They are worried that after a couple of years, there may be out of job.
“So as to encourage them to return home, the state government has to establish more oil and gas related industries so they will have a reason to stay and render their services here,” he said when met during his Raya open house at his residence at Kionsom Heights in Inanam yesterday.
Another attraction is to ensure that these skilled manpower are paid accordingly.
In the meantime, it is important for the government to provide trainings for locals, both in the skill and management fields, as the market demands for skilled manpower.
“There are existing training centres here but it is not enough, so they will still have to go elsewhere to get trained. We also need to improve and upgrade the existing manpower so that they would be able to handle advanced tasks,” he said.
On another development, he said SOGCA is satisfied with the current development of the oil and gas industry in Sabah.
“We are glad that companies such as Petronas is giving us high regards; they acknowledged our requests and we hope to see greater cooperation in the future,” he said.