KOTA KINABALU: Chinese companies are ready to share technologies related to technical and vocational education and training (TVET), but Sabah currently lacks suitable platforms to adopt and implement them, says a business group.
Sabah-China Chamber of Commerce deputy president Brett Chua said the concern was raised by their counterparts in China.
“We see strong potential for these technologies to be introduced in Sabah. However, at this stage, the state does not have the appropriate platforms to fully receive and implement them,” he said, without elaborating.
Chua was speaking after a courtesy call on state Education, Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Datuk James Ratib on Friday (Jan 9), together with chamber chairman Datuk Frankie Liew.
He expressed hope that the meeting would serve as a starting point for Sabah and China to realise various strategic collaborations in the TVET sector.
James said Sabah is open to technological support and knowledge-sharing from developed nations, including China, as part of efforts to strengthen the state’s education, science, technology and innovation ecosystem.
He stressed that innovation and technology are key drivers of Sabah’s development, and urged the chamber to continue acting as a bridge between China and the state.
James added that the chamber’s close ties with Chinese markets should be leveraged to bring tangible benefits to Sabah, particularly through initiatives such as technology transfer, local skills development and the adoption of emerging technologies including artificial intelligence.
He also called for stronger strategic partnerships between the government and the private sector to achieve these goals.
