Sabah minister urges local talent to return home to work

Phoong (in red) speaking to workers at the SBH Kibing Solar factory.

KOTA KINABALU: With an influx of investment expected to pour into the state, Sabah Industrial Development and Entrepreneurship Minister Phoong Jin Zhe is urging local talent to come home to work.

"It has come to my knowledge that Kibing is lacking skilled workers.

"With more high-impact investments coming to Sabah, it is time we bring back our young talent that have been working in West Malaysia and abroad," he said in a statement on Saturday (May 13).

Phoong earlier visited solar glass maker SBH Kibing Solar's manufacturing factory at the Kota Kinabalu Industrial Park (KKIP) here on Saturday (May 13).

The factory, owned by a China-based company, has invested some RM2bil in Sabah, and is in an advanced stage of construction, with progress reaching 50%.

The construction is targeted for completion by this year's end and once fully operational, it will create more than 1,800 job opportunities in Sabah, with some 80% of employees comprising Sabahans.

Phoong said he would work together with relevant agencies to attract Sabahans to return.

During the visit, Phoong observed the progress made in the factory's construction and spoke to workers at the semi-operational factory.

The visit, he said, served as a testament to the Sabah government's dedication in promoting sustainable development, particularly in the renewable energy sector.

"The visit to the Kibing factory exemplifies the state government's dedication to establishing strategic partnerships and fostering an investor friendly environment in Sabah," he said.