With a low post-secondary education penetration level in Sarawak, it is unlikely that locals will get jobs in the Sarawak Corridor for Renewable Energy.
KUCHING: If the labour force survey statistics for 2008-2011 is any yardstick then Taib Mahmud’s much touted Sarawak Corridor of Renewal Energy (SCORE) will be of no benefit to locals least of all the indigenous communities who will be left far behind.
According to Sarawak PKR chief Baru Bian the figures from the Department of Statistics don’t offer any indications that locals will enjoy the fruits from SCORE.
“This is because SCORE will need highly skilled labour force, and our people, especially those in the rural areas have little opportunities to complete their school studies and go on to tertiary level.
“From the labour force survey (2008-2010) of the Department of Statistics, out of Sarawak’s labour force, only 17% or 166,175 people have any form of post secondary education,” he said.
He added that even the projected figures for the labour force were dismal.
He pointed out that according to the ‘projections’ for 2011, the number of ‘labour force with post secondary education’ would amount to 150,690 of which the Malay-Melanau comprise 33.4% and the Chinese 39.49%.
“The Ibans makeup only 15.50% while the Bidayuh comprise 7.19% and the Orang Ulu only 4.38% of labour force with post secondary education.
“From the statistics above, clearly, our people, especially the indigenous people are in no position to take on the jobs that are purportedly going to be created by SCORE,” said Bian who is Ba Kelalan assemblyman.
He was commenting on recent reports here highlighting the plight of Sarawakian workers in Singapore and the loss of millions of ringgit from the state due to illegal foreign workers.
Raise education standards
He said state Minister Fatimah Abdullah’s comment that SCORE would create 290,880 jobs by 2015 and with the likelihood of this increasing to 662,065 jobs by 2020 was insignificant to Sarawakians who were ill-equipped to participate in the progress.
“Fatimah Abdullah said that the state has only 25% highly skilled workers to date and that by the year 2015, SCORE is expected to create some 290,880 jobs that would increase to 662,065 jobs by 2020.
“This is significantly higher than the figure from the Department of Statistics for 2008-2010.
“We will need around twice the number of skilled workers than will be available from the whole of our labour force.
“The government is actually looking at importing foreign labour to fill these vacancies.
“How is SCORE going to benefit the people, if this is the scenario?” asked Bian, pointing out that the state needed to refocus on the very basic foundation of a successful and vibrant society which is developing its education system.
He said poor education policies and amenities were the root cause of low education levels in the state.
“A PR (Pakatan Rakyat) government will ensure that every child is given the opportunity to further his or her studies.
“We will raise standards of teaching, provide training opportunities for teachers, and provide better and more vocational training for school leavers,” he said.
Better wages needed
On a related issue, Bian reasoned that foreigners worked mainly in plantations and construction sites “owned or controlled” by Taib’s relatives, his cronies, Barisan Nasional politicians and their families and friends.
“They take the land from the locals for plantations, and then to add insult to injury, offer the lowest wages (around RM18 per day), which is grossly insufficient to sustain even one person, let alone a family.
On claims that Sarawakians were choosy with jobs Bian said that it was inevitable.
“We cannot blame the (our) people for not wanting these jobs. They have to go to West Malaysia, Singapore and further abroad to make a living.
“The point is that our people cannot even earn a living on the wages being offered here. Why should they just be content on earning a living?
“We should want them to thrive and prosper. The Indonesians live the most frugal lives here so that they can send to their families the little that they make.
“Our people have families to support, and hence have to seek greener pastures outside of Sarawak,” he said, pointing out that there are 112,209 legal foreign workers in Sarawak.
“That means there are 112, 209 jobs that could be given to locals, if they are paid decent wages which they can live on.
“Currently, money generated from plantations and construction projects end up in Indonesia as remittances of the labourers or in the pockets of those who steal from and cheat the rural people, ” he said.
He said the solution now is to raise the wages sufficiently so that people can have enough to live on comfortably and to aim for better futures for their children, instead of just struggling to eke out a living.
Joseph Tawie | March 17, 2012
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