KUCHING: Mechanisation is a way out for the housing industry instead of being overly dependent on foreign workers, says Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg.
“We have to use technology. For example, in the plantation sector, we cannot rely on foreign labourers alone. Assuming we rely on Indonesia, they are also busy developing their own country.
“So what option do we have? The only option is mechanisation and using robotic operations and this has to be done,” said the Premier.
He was speaking at the Sarawak Housing and Real Estate Developers’ Association (SHEDA) annual dinner and excellence award ceremony at the Borneo Convention Centre Kuching (BCCK), here on Wednesday (Aug 10).
Abang Johari said he had requested for the Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB) and the Centre of Technical Excellence (CENTEXS) to provide upskilling and training to local workers.
On the part of the housing industry players, they should work together with these training institutions to generate more skilled and efficient workers.
“I think in this respect, the housing industry can work together with CENTEXS as they have the technology, together with their collaborators where robotic operations can be used in the construction industry,” he said.
Aware that the initiative might come with a cost for the industry players, he asserted that training programmes were essential in moving forward.
“Of course, there is a financial cost to bear, but we must have training programmes for our workers so that they are efficient, while other operations can be done through robotic equipment,” said Abang Johari.
