Webinar on the State's Industrialisation

Details

Industrialisation in Sabah - A Solution to Migration and Youth Unemployment

The manufacturing or industrial sector has a large footprint in many countries such as the United Kingdom, United States, Japan, Switzerland, Canada, China, Germany, Italy and South Korea. At the global level, the share of manufacturing in relation to global GDP was 15.6% in 2017. Its output is mainly used as intermediary inputs by all other industries. In China in 2019, the industrial sector accounted for around 27.5% employment in the country. China is the top nation in terms of manufactured output; it produces nearly 50% of the world’s industrial goods with the sector generating a significant percentage of national output. In developed countries, industrial production continued to grow with high-tech manufacturing and strategic emerging industries developing fast contributing to high economic growth.

Similarly, the manufacturing sector plays an important role in Malaysia. The average contribution of manufacturing to the country’s GDP from 2009-2019 is 39.19% and contributing an average of 27.27% in terms of employment from 2010-2020. Industrialisation bring numerous other advantages to the country. It could expand the import and export markets and improve trade balance. It increases productivity level, reduce cost of productions, make goods and services affordable, improve the quality of life of peoples, medical care and health. It also allows specialisation and spurs innovation.

Industrialisation had hardly made significant progress in Sabah. The manufacturing or industrial contribution to the state’s GDP had remained low over the years. On the other hand, industrialisation in other areas of Malaysia has caused migration of Sabah’s youths to those areas. This is the main reason for the lack of job creation in Sabah which resulted in unemployment of youths. The continued migration of youths to Peninsular Malaysia and other countries gives a strong reason for Sabah to quickly move towards industrialisation.

The goal of this seminar is to increase the public awareness on the crucial need for Sabah to be industrialised in order to gain numerous benefits of industrialisation and create jobs for youth. The livestream seminar/webinar will be attended by a line of manufacturers, government policy makers, officials from relevant local government departments and agencies, technologists, research community, academicians, educationalists, youths, NGOs, key stakeholders of private organisations and industrial players from various industries in Sabah. Therefore, it will help to build consensus in terms framework, models, initiatives, partnership among the various of groups the and actions required in the successful process of industrialisation.

It looks for an industrialisation that ideally promotes smart manufacturing, giving positive impacts to youth, the communities, and be environmentally friendly.  It also provides opportunities to re-look at initiatives the government has done so far and entrepreneurship activities that was often missed out as such as the agriculture sector which can be rebuild utilising the advance of technology in a more responsible manner and nurturing the interest of the skillful younger generation towards these sectors.

For more information, please contact Organising Chairperson, Juliana Ringgingon at ringgingon@gmail.com or 088-450 500.