KULIM: Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi today announced the setting up of a permanent secretariat to address the shortage of skilled and professional manpower in Kulim Hi-Tech Park (KHTP).
Zahid, who is also the National Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Council chairman, said the secretariat will make key decisions to address the issue within two weeks.
"On the supply of skilled and professional workers issue, in two weeks from now we will take several actions and decide on several matters.
"One is the formation of a permanent secretariat to coordinate skilled manpower needs of each industry in KHTP.
"There are various industries (in KHTP), hence the courses currently offered by training institutions must be aligned with the (job) market demand," he said in a press conference after attending a dialogue session 'Talents Talk' with industry players and training institutions at Kulim Golf Resort here today.
Present were Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir and Kedah State Higher Education, Industry and Investment Committee chairman Dr Hail Hilman Abdullah.
The session was moderated by Kulim Technology Park Corporation (KTPC) chief executive officer Datuk Mohd Sahil Zabidi.
The dialogue was part of Zahid's working visit to KHTP, following Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim's discussions with industry players there in August
Zahid said the secretariat will also hold detailed discussions on the need to establish a postgraduate training programme to meet the demand for professionals with postgraduate qualifications from industry players in KHTP
"We will work with universities within a 30km radius of KHTP, but we are also open to work with universities under the Malaysian Technical Universities Network.
"For now, we have six universities that are offering courses that are aligned with the market demand," he said.
The six universities are Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia, Universiti Teknikal Malaysia Melaka, Universiti Malaysia Pahang, Univeristi Malaysia Perlis, Universiti Selangor and Universiti Kuala Lumpur.
On the proposal to set up an engineering faculty at Universiti Utara Malaysia, Zahid said he would seek feedback from the Cabinet as setting up a new faculty would require costs.
"Then we will discuss further with the Higher Education Ministry and the National TVET Council," he said.
To address talent pinching amongst industry players in KHTP, Zahid said it was proposed that the companies forge an understanding agreement to stop the practice, to be modelled after the existing agreement practised by the National Union of Bank Employees (Nube).
Zahid added that he will also take action to address complaints regarding lack of access to medical treatment and traffic congestion in KHTP.
"The third issue raised by the industry players is the access to medical treatment due to lack of hospital beds.
"There are 45,000 workers in KHTP and I will raise this matter to the Health Minister (Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad).
"The fourth issue raised to me is traffic congestion in KHTP during peak hours.
I will refer to Home Minister (Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail) to deploy traffic policemen during peak hours," he said.