Engineers still in demand, Dr. Sim Kui Hian

suppadmin | November 4, 2018

Local government Minister, Datuk Dr. Sim Kui Hian said Sarawak is still short of engineer especially those in Chemical engineering.

Speaking at the launch of the IEM Engineer’s Run 2018 today, Dr. Sim said this would be good news for engineering graduates as more jobs are being created to satisfy these demands. He said Malaysia needs at least 200,000 engineers by 2020. However, as of 2017, there are only 70,000 registered engineers in the country.

“As we are gearing ahead towards being digital, I am convinced that engineers are at the same time should be digital wise or in other words are experts digitally! Now, people often asks me what does it mean to be digitally transformed; or what is our CM, Datuk Patinggi means by introducing this book entitled The Sarawak Digital Economy Strategy Book 2018-2022, I must say we need to look forward and at the same time take a look at the bigger picture,” he added.

He said there is a common misconception that digital transformation involves nothing more than installing a new technology platform: Roll out the software, and everything will miraculously transforms around it. But digital transformation requires more than just a software implementation — it requires a fundamental change in the way you do things normally. In context of Sarawak, this digital transformation would propel Sarawak at the forefront of the digital world. How amazing could it be to turn Sarawak into a developed state within the year 2030!

Impressed with the on- going support towards this annual event, Dr. Sim stated that this year’s edition, with the theme, “Bonding With Chemistry”, brings out the meaning of being gathered here this morning, to be exact at 2031 participants are gathering here right now. “As this years theme showcases Chemical Engineering, I would like to point out the importance of this particular discipline, as it has played a big part in us, especially in our daily lives. Furthermore, I am told that this years edition would bring a new distance, which is the 21km or as we call it the Half Marathon. I believe despite the tough distance, participants are not shy to take up the challenge, and as we step up towards digital transformation, I too believe that engineers should step up towards this up hill challenge,” he said.

He also thanked the sponsors for their initiative.