By WU VUIDE
KOTA KINABALU: The State Government continues to make human capital development a central part of its economic agenda, especially in unlocking the vast potential of the fast-growing blue economy sector.
Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor said this approach is vital to ensure that Sabahans are equipped with the skills and knowledge needed to meet current demands, in line with the changing global economy.
“The world has changed, and we must change too. We can no longer rely on outdated systems. We need a highly skilled and competitive workforce to drive state development,” he said when launching the Sabah Blue Economy Skillfest 2025 at the Sabah International Convention Centre (SICC).
His speech was delivered by Deputy Chief Minister II and Local Government and Housing Minister Datuk Seri Dr Joachim Gunsalam.
He said under the Sabah Maju Jaya (SMJ) Development Plan, the government continues to shape inclusive and sustainable policies by prioritising capacity building to prepare the people for the new economic era.
“Sabah is rich in marine resources. It is our responsibility to ensure that our people are ready to harness this potential sustainably and with knowledge,” he said.
Between 2021 and 2024, the State Government allocated RM848.26 million through four main education channels, benefitting nearly 246,000 recipients.
These included RM227.1 million under the Sabah State Education Fund for 7,483 recipients; RM324.1 million in State Government Scholarships for 13,640 recipients; RM164.14 million in education aid from the Office of the Deputy State Secretary (Special Tasks) for 210,918 recipients; and RM132.92 million in assistance and loans from Yayasan Sabah for 13,921 recipients.
“For this year, the government has allocated another RM497.54 million to continue empowering human capital, to produce a generation that is competent, innovative and of high integrity,” he said.
Hajiji also commended HRD Corp for training 61,448 workers in Sabah in 2024, with funding exceeding RM58.2 million.
“I believe programmes like Skillfest will open up more job opportunities in sectors linked to the blue economy,” he said.
Skillfest is part of efforts to strengthen skills training in blue economy industries such as mariculture, fisheries, marine energy, marine tourism and ocean technology research and development.
Skillfest 2025 aims to attract 2,500 participants and is part of National Training Week (NTW) 2025 Sabah, which this year targets over 67,000 participants statewide.
Hajiji praised the strategic partnership between HRD Corporation and the Sabah Maju Jaya Secretariat (SSMJ) in organising the programme, saying it supports the government’s aim to expand lifelong learning to all citizens regardless of background.
He said this initiative also builds on the success of the Sabah International Blue Economy Conference (SIBEC) 2024, which drew global attention and positioned Sabah as a regional blue economy leader.
Hajiji urged Sabahans to make full use of the opportunities provided and called for such programmes to be expanded across the state as part of a continuous learning ecosystem.
