KUALA LUMPUR: There is a need to improve the salaries and remuneration for engineers, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof said.
The move, he said, would encourage more students to pursue engineering in their tertiary education.
He said based on reports, 35 per cent of junior engineers earn below RM2,000 per month.
"The role of engineers is vital. They are not just problem solvers but catalysts of innovation, the vital essentials to our economic vibrancy and dynamism.
"They consistently push the boundaries of applied science, tackling complex challenges that define the future of construction, manufacturing and beyond.
"However, Malaysia's engineer-to-population ratio of 1:170 is significantly lower than the 1:100 ratio prevalent in developed nations is rather concerning.
"As we analyse the reasons behind this disparity, we must address the remuneration and salary component so that we can attract more students to take up engineering in their tertiary education," he said.
Fadillah said this in his speech when officiating the Engineering Exhibition and Conference Malaysia (ENGINEER) and its concurrent Air-Conditioning, Refrigeration and Ventilation Exhibition (MARVEX) today.
Present were Institution of Engineers Malaysia (IEM) president Prof Dr Jeffrey Chiang Choong Luin, Malaysia Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Association (MACRA) president Peter Tan, and CIS Network Sdn Bhd president Datuk Vincent Lim.
Fadillah added that Malaysia must also reflect on its educational landscape.
"Currently, we have only about 45 per cent of our students pursuing Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM)-related fields, falling short of the 60 per cent target set by the Malaysian Education Blueprint 2013-2025.
"Realising this shortcoming, the government is actively promoting STEM through initiatives like the Techlympics and National Science Week which aim to cultivate increased interest inscience and technology by 2030.
"I was also made aware that the IEM has been a strong advocate and supporter of these two programmesand I am appreciative of the efforts made by the IEM volunteers," he said.