Dr Johnical Rayong
KUCHING: Youths are urged to seek assistance from the newly launched Tabung Ekonomi Gagasan Anak Bumiputra Sarawak (Tegas) if they are interested in taking up technical courses to increase their chance of getting employment and good pay.
Engkilili assemblyman Dr Johnical Rayong, who is also Tegas’ Board of Trustees member, said that Sarawak needed many skilled or semi-skilled workers to drive her industry and economy.
He also said that community leaders and elected representatives should help to disseminate relevant information about Tegas which is the brainchild of Chief Minister Pehin Sri Abdul taib Mahmud.
Tegas, led by Assistant Minister of the Promotion of Technical Education Datu Len Talif Salleh, has a start-up fund of RM10 million. It is aimed at promoting technical and vocational education for youths in rural areas so that they could find work in industries in SCORE.
When met on Tuesday, Dr Rayong said Tegas’ Board of Trustees would be screening around 500 young people from his constituency before assisting the successful applicants to get seats at various technical institutions.
He said he was tasked to oversee the work of Tegas in Sri Aman, Betong and Sarikei, Balai Ringin assemblyman Snowdan Lawan (Balai Ringin, Kuching and Samarahan), Belawai assemblyman Len Talif and Serdeng assemblyman Abdullah Saidol (central region); Nangka assemblyman Dr Anuar Rapaee and Ngemah assemblyman Alexander Vincent (Sibu, Kanowit and Kapit), Telang Usan assemblyman Dennis Ngau (Miri and Baram) and Batu Danau assemblyman Paulus Palu Gumbang (Limbang and Lawas).
At the launch of Tegas in BCCK here on Feb 28, Taib had said: “Starting next year, we will spend RM10 million to nurture the growth of technical education. I hope the plan can be adopted and arranged by U-SCORE to produce training for skilled and technical workers.”
U-SCORE is a consortium of higher learning institutions formed by Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (Unimas) and the state government to identify and plan various technical courses and training for SCORE industries. He also urged all assemblypersons to work hard to promote Tegas by going to the ground and explain it function to the people. Tegas’ target groups include those aged between 16 and 45 years with basic literacy and numeracy abilities, as well as school-leavers, graduate dropouts and talented students who are still in school.