SUNGAI PETANI: The development of sound human capital for renewable energy (RE) is imperative to cater for investment inflow, especially in the data centre sector.
Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof said Malaysia must accelerate the development of its renewable energy industry to tap into the increasing demand for green energy.
"This has created a significant challenge for our ministry. For investors to come, especially in the data centre sector, they will require a substantial amount of renewable energy, as well as sufficient water supply.
"Currently, in Johor alone, the demand for renewable energy is about 8,000 megawatts. We also need to address the demand for water supply in cooling the data centre.
"This means that if we are not prepared, investors will not come. That's why we must ensure that we are able to provide the renewable energy required by the investors," he said in a speech at a dinner with the Siamese community here, hosted by Sidam assemblyman Bau Wong Bau Ek.
Also present was Sungai Petani Member of Parliament Dr Mohammed Taufiq Johari.
Fadillah, who is also the Energy Transition and Water Transformation Minister, said this is why the government is emphasising Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET).
"This is what is being done under the Prime Minister's (Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim) leadership and spearheaded by Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi," he said.