Fund to boost manpower in oil and gas industry

It will help company hold TVET programmes for local workers

THE RM6.8bil allocation under Technical Education and Vocational Training (TVET) in Budget 2024 is expected to boost manpower in the oil and gas industry in Pasir Gudang.

On Oct 13, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim was reported as saying that the TVET sector would receive the allocation.

Malaysia Marine and Heavy Engineering Holdings Bhd (MHB) managing director and chief executive officer Pandai Othman said the company currently had 400 vacant posts.

“At the moment, we have seven major projects worth RM7.4bil so business is looking good.

“However, we are facing a shortage of manpower.

“Hiring foreign workers might be the easiest and quickest solution but we wanted something more sustainable.

“This is why MHB has conducted various TVET programmes with Institut Kemahiran Mara and Gigih Avenue Sdn Bhd to provide training and certification in welding for locals.”

He was speaking at the MHB Free Market 2023 programme at Malaysia Marine and Heavy Engineering Sdn Bhd (MMHE) West Yard, Pasir Gudang.

Pandai said MMHE, a wholly owned subsidiary of MHB, signed a memorandum of understanding with Gigih Avenue in October last year to train more locals in Johor.

“We will take the Institut Kemahiran Mara students, send them to Gigih Avenue for the skills training and then they may come to work with us.

“Our goal is to train locals to do technical tasks in the yard. Above all, we want long-term employees.”

He said there were currently 4,500 workers at MMHE.

Pandai said this was the fourth time the MHB Free Market had been organised. This year, it involved 120 families from four villages in Pasir Gudang.

“This is part of our corporate social responsibility programme to give back to our community.

“Our staff and sponsors have donated necessities and other items like clothing, shoes, prayer mats and toys.”

The four villages involved are Kampung Pasir Putih, Kampung Pasir Gudang Baru, Kampung Tanjung Langsat and Kampung Perigi Acheh.

MHB also signed a memorandum last December with Pasir Gudang City Council and Universiti Teknologi Malaysia to revive Sungai Buluh under the MHB River Rehabilitation Programme, Pandai said.

“Sungai Buluh is located between our West Yard and East Yard so we wanted to improve the river’s health,” said Pandai.

“We are aware there are a few rivers in Pasir Gudang that are in dire condition.

“We chose Sungai Buluh as our pilot project for the next five years.”