PENGGERANG: The government is spending RM100mil to create a vocational college here to create a talent pool to serve one of the country's main oil and gas hubs.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said presently the country's main oil hubs were in Johor, Sarawak and Sabah.
"This vocational college is a strategic project and we hope it is completed by 2030," he said during his speech at the initial setting up of the college at SMK Tanjung Pengelih.
The secondary school's premises and facilities would be used during the initial set up.
Anwar stressed that the oil and gas sector was important to the country and needed specialised expertise.
"We also need to intensify training of our Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) similar to Japan and Germany," he said.
He added that they also needed expertise for data centres and other digital technologies.
In the past, universities would take one year to roll out a new course but now it has been reduced to one and a half months.
"This means we can now have a new course, discipline or technology within this time frame.
"There is no reason why we need to be slow, cannot succeed or compete with others," he added.
Anwar stressed that data centres were actually helping in the present uncertain times, with huge export growths.
"This is a good indication for the country," he said.
He added that besides data centres, Malaysia has been a huge magnet for the establishment of electrical and electronics (E&E) companies and digital technology.
On the war in Iran, Anwar reiterated that Malaysia has to use its wisdom to practise the art of diplomacy, which was firm on its support for Iran while continuing its trade with the US.
