Kota kinabalu: The Sabah government has set a minimum requirement that 80 per cent of the local workforce quota for new investment projects in the state must be filled by Sabahans, the Sabah State Legislative Assembly was told today. Assistant Minister of Industrial Development, Entrepreneurship and Cooperatives Datuk Jonnybone Kurum announced this initiative, which is part of the Sabah First policy, to prioritize employment opportunities for Sabahans in the industrial sector.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, the policy aligns with the Federal Manufacturing Licence (FML) conditions administered by the Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA). These conditions stipulate that at least 80 per cent of the full-time workforce during the operational phase must be Malaysian citizens. Jonnybone emphasized that this approach not only enhances employment access for local residents but also contributes to human capital development and generates socio-economic benefits for local communities.

In response to an oral question from Datuk Abdul Ghani Mohamed Yassin (GRS-Nabawan) regarding measures to ensure employment opportunities from new investments prioritize Sabahans, Jonnybone detailed further initiatives. The ministry is working with the Social Security Organisation (PERKESO) Sabah and investors to implement job-matching programs based on existing jobseekers' databases.

The collaboration includes plans for upskilling, reskilling, and relevant certification programs to meet job requirements set by investors. Jonnybone also mentioned that the ministry would continue to explore suitable local content initiatives to ensure that the benefits of investments in Sabah are directly and sustainably enjoyed by the state's residents.