Locals urged to seize agricultural opportunities alongside industrial growth
SAMALAJU (June 16): The local community has been urged not to rely solely on industrial job opportunities but to tap into the agricultural sector as an additional source of income.
Deputy Minister of Infrastructure and Port Development Dato Majang Renggi pointed out that the growing workforce in the industrial zone would lead to an increased demand for food supplies, creating opportunities for locals to utilise their land for farming.
'As the demand for food rises with more workers entering this area, it presents an opportunity for landowners to farm and supply produce.
'We must be diligent in cultivating our land to meet this increasing demand,' he said in a Sarawak Public Communications Unit report.
Majang, who is Samalaju assemblyman, said this during the National Training Week (NTW) 2025 closing ceremony at Rumah Panjang Mujah Atin, Mile 12, Bintulu-Miri Road, on Saturday.
He described the NTW event as timely and strategic in supporting the development of the local workforce in line with the region's rapid industrial expansion.
Majang said the NTW programme plays a crucial role in nurturing a highly skilled local workforce capable of meeting current development challenges.
'When investors come and factories are established in Sarawak, we certainly need manpower. Programmes like NTW are vital as they encourage the community to continue learning and acquiring knowledge, while preparing our children and grandchildren to meet the demands of industries in this region,' he said.
Majang also witnessed the launch of the Rumah Panjang Mujah repair project, symbolising the government's commitment to strengthening rural infrastructure.
The event also featured a traditional 'Ngiling Bidai' ceremony, marking the close of the Gawai Dayak festive season. agricultural sector industrial job opportunities lead Majang Renggi
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Borneo Post
5 days ago
- Borneo Post
Director: JTK Sarawak inspects over 3,500 employer premises as of May 2025
Raduan presents a memento to Majang during the opening ceremony. BINTULU (July 3): The Sarawak Labour Department (JTK Sarawak) has inspected 3,514 employer premises across the state as of May 2025, said JTK state director Awang Raduan Awang Omar. He said that from these inspections, 390 notifications were issued to employers for various violations under the Sarawak Labour Ordinance (Chapter 76). 'During the same period, 729 labour-related cases were received and handled by labour offices throughout Sarawak. 'From January to May 2025, JTK Sarawak offered 563 compounds amounting to RM876,000. A total of RM31,475,212.52 in employee compensation was recorded,' he said. He shared this during the Customer Engagement Day and Anti-Forced Labour Awareness campaign at Dewan Suarah, Bintulu on Wednesday, as part of the Labour Go Rural Area Programme (L-GRAP) 6.0. The event was officiated by Deputy Minister of Infrastructure and Port Development Dato Majang Renggi. Officially launched on June 30, Raduan said the L-GRAP 6.0 features a convoy of 21 vehicles travelling across Sarawak and even crossing into neighbouring Brunei Darussalam before heading to Lawas. He said the journey, which began in Kuching, will span seven days with stops in Sibu, Bintulu, Miri, and culminating in Lawas on July 5, before returning to Kuching on July 6. The convoy was flagged off at the Sultan Iskandar Building lobby and is making its way across rural and coastal areas, aiming to bridge the information gap for communities that often face limited access to legal and labour-related information. 'Since its inception in 2020, L-GRAP has evolved into a vital platform for labour education, employment legal advocacy, and inter-agency collaboration involving government departments, local communities, and industry players,' he said. On July 1, 2025, the convoy stopped in Sibu where it carried out a corporate social responsibility (CSR) activity at Rumah Seri Kenangan, engaging residents in various programmes before continuing to Kampung Penan Muslim to distribute aid. The highlight of the L-GRAP 6.0 tour will be held on July 4 at Hotel Seri Malaysia, Lawas, through the 'Protect Workers, End Forced Labour' campaign. Each stop along the route features outreach activities including legal advice, labour-related talks, fraud awareness sessions, career counselling, and more. Raduan said a key focus of L-GRAP 6.0 is to raise awareness of amendments to the Sarawak Labour Ordinance (Chapter 76), which came into effect on May 1, 2025. These amendments he said provide improved protections and benefits for workers in Sarawak. The programme emphasises the importance of understanding labour laws that safeguard workers' rights and clarify employers' responsibilities. This year's programme also includes public awareness on risks of overseas employment for Sarawak workers, implementation of Malaysia's minimum wage policy, social Security Schemes for self-employed individuals and housewives and Job scams and employment fraud prevention. In addition, the Social Security Organisation (Perkeso) is conducting MyFutureJobs open interviews in Bintulu and Lawas, providing opportunities for jobseekers to secure employment on the spot. L-GRAP is now an annual flagship programme under JTK Sarawak, running successfully since 2020. It reflects the Ministry of Human Resources' (Kesuma) long-term initiative to bring government services closer to rural communities, while empowering citizens with knowledge about their rights under national labour laws.
The Star
6 days ago
- The Star
Fadillah announces financial aid of RM110,000 for six media associations in Sarawak
KUCHING: Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof has announced financial contributions totalling RM110,000 for six media associations in Sarawak. The Sarawak Public Communications Unit's (Ukas) welfare and sports club and Kelab Belia Azam will receive RM25,000 each. The Kuching Division Journalists Association, Northern Sarawak Journalists Association, Sibu Journalists Association and Institute of Rejang Journalists meanwhile will get RM15,000. Fadillah made the announcement at a dinner in conjunction with the Sarawak media conference and state-level National Journalists' Day (Hawana) celebration here on Wednesday (July 2) night. He called on the Sarawak media to continue highlighting stories that matter as the state charts its path towards becoming a high-income, green and technologically advanced economy by 2030. These include stories of innovation in green and hydrogen technology, struggle and resilience amid the rising cost of living, and policy impact and public service. "Let your platforms be spaces where the truth is heard, where dignity is preserved and where hope is never extinguished," he said. Fadillah also said the Federal Government was committed to building a robust, ethical and resilient media ecosystem. He said this commitment took a major step forward with the passing of the Malaysian Media Council Bill 2024, paving the way for self-regulation. "(This is) a mark of maturity, trust and empowerment for the industry," he said. Fadillah later presented the Sarawak Premier's special appreciation awards to 10 local media practitioners. He also presented the Tokoh Khas award to former Sarawak TV3 coordinator Basri Mohamad.
Borneo Post
26-06-2025
- Borneo Post
Sarawak to prioritise critical, technical courses under FTES for now, says Sagah
Sagah (third left), Mohamad Kadim (second left) and others carry out the 'Ngiling Bidai' ritual marking the end of Gawai. – Photo by Chimon Upon KUCHING (June 26): The Sarawak government will prioritise critical and technical courses under its Free Tertiary Education Scheme (FTES) to meet the growing demands of industries in the state, said State Education, Innovation and Talent Development Minister, Dato Sri Roland Sagah Wee Inn. While acknowledging the importance of other academic fields, Sagah said the initial focus must be on areas crucial to the state's economic development. 'I cannot make the decision myself, but what I can say is that next year's FTES will only cover critical courses. 'This is because we are seriously considering the urgent needs of Sarawak's industries,' he said. He was responding to a proposal by i-CATS University College Vice-Chancellor, Professor Emeritus Datuk Ts Dr Mohamad Kadim Suaidi, during the institution's Gawai Celebration today, who had earlier called for the scheme to be expanded to include more disciplines. Sagah said the state government hopes to see tangible results from the initial phase of the scheme, particularly in workforce development and income growth for Sarawak. 'If successful, the scheme may be expanded. Hopefully, as more students enter the workforce and help boost the state's income, we can eventually look at including more courses beyond just the critical ones,' he added. Earlier in his speech, Mohamad Kadim proposed that FTES be extended to non-technical fields such as economics, business, hospitality, and tourism, arguing that these sectors also play a vital role in Sarawak's development. He highlighted the hospitality industry's ongoing reliance on workers from outside Sarawak, stressing the need to develop more local talent for the sector. He said by strengthening education in hospitality and tourism, there would be more opportunities for Sarawakians to fill the growing vacancies The FTES, set to be implemented in 2026, will initially cover undergraduate programmes in STEM fields, law, medicine, accounting, finance, and psychology. Participating institutions include Swinburne University of Technology Sarawak Campus, Curtin University Malaysia, University of Technology Sarawak (UTS), and i-CATS University College. courses Free Tertiary Education Scheme FTES Roland Sagah technical
