More Sarawakians have returned to contribute to state development - Abang Johari

KUCHING - The number of Sarawakians returning home to contribute to the development of the state is increasing, said Sarawak Premier Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg.

As the state is set to become a semiconductor industry hub, he said a total of 20 Sarawakian engineers specialising in such industry have returned from overseas to realise the state’s effort in designing and manufacturing high-demand microchips.

"Currently, we are short of (chip) designers because we have set up Sarawak Microelectronics Design (SMD) Semiconductor. We need a lot of engineers, and we have recruited 20 (Sarawakians) who are coming from overseas.

"We need another 30 (Sarawakian) engineers for a semiconductor company, X-Fab,” he said in his officiating speech at the Premier of Sarawak Industry Excellence Awards (PSIEA) 2023 dinner here last night.

Abang Johari cited an article from The Straits Times that recently reported that many Sarawakians who are working in Kuala Lumpur and Singapore have returned to the state due to its surge in entrepreneurial opportunities.

"This is true... with the methanol project in Sarawak, our engineers are coming back. In Sarawak Metro Sdn Bhd, there are those who had worked in Kuala Lumpur and came back,” he said.

Formerly known as Minister's Industry Excellence Awards, PSIEA is the state's highest corporate recognition award and was introduced in 2017.

This year’s award was hosted and organised by the Sarawak Business Federation in collaboration with the Malaysia Productivity Corporation (MPC) and supported by the Sarawak government. - BERNAMA