SARAWAK’S transition towards renewable energy could create a new generation of high-skilled jobs while strengthening the state’s long-term economic resilience.
Putra Business School economic analyst Associate Professor Dr Ida Md Yasin said the state’s early commitment to hydrogen, solar and hydropower has positioned Sarawak ahead of many others preparing for the global shift away from fossil fuels.
While renewable energy would diversify Sarawak’s energy resources and strengthen long-term energy security, Ida said one of its biggest economic benefits would be the creation of new employment opportunities across emerging green industries.
“Moving towards renewable energy is a very good step because Sarawak is planning ahead in terms of its energy resources.
“The future is moving towards renewable energy with less dependence on fossil fuels.
Sarawak has already started taking those steps, and I see the state moving ahead compared with many other states,” she said in conjunction with Sarawak Day.
She said reducing dependence on conventional energy sources such as oil and gas would better position Sarawak to benefit from the rapidly expanding global green economy.
Diversifying energy sources would also provide greater resilience against future supply uncertainties.
“If one source becomes limited in the future, we already have alternatives.
“That is important because the world is now moving towards a green economy centred on renewable energy,” she said.
Ida said the transition would reshape Sarawak’s labour market by generating demand for specialised technical and professional talent.
Among the emerging occupations are solar energy engineers, wind energy engineers, electrical generation engineers, energy efficiency specialists and technicians involved in solar panel installation and maintenance.
She added that opportunities would not be limited to engineering graduates.
“There will also be demand for sustainability consultants who can advise companies on reducing their carbon footprint and improving environmental performance,” she said.
However, she said creating these new jobs alone would not be enough if the local workforce lacked the necessary skills to fill them.
As green investments continue to expand, universities and higher learning institutions must move quickly to bridge existing skills gaps, she said, acknowledging that current academic programmes may not fully match the competencies required by the evolving green economy.
To address this, she proposed a two-pronged strategy comprising immediate workforce retraining and long-term curriculum reform.
“In the short term, we need reskilling and retraining programmes through institutions such as the Human Resource Development Fund and other training providers.
“For the longer term, universities and other educational institutions should revise their curricula to meet the new technological requirements of the green economy,” she said.
Ida said the benefits of green investment should extend beyond investors and government revenue to local communities, particularly those in rural areas.
She said the establishment of green industrial facilities would naturally stimulate surrounding economic activities by increasing demand for housing, food services, education and other supporting infrastructure while creating employment opportunities.
However, she stressed that local residents must first be equipped with the skills needed to participate in these industries.
“Reskilling is important because local residents should be trained so they can take up suitable jobs created by these investments.
“Investment should not only benefit investors or generate government tax revenue.
Local communities should also be able to participate in the business ecosystem,” she said.
