KUCHING: Education must evolve alongside industry development for Sarawak to build future-ready sectors and achieve inclusive socio-economic growth.
Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS) Faculty of Economics and Business Deputy Dean of Research and Commercialization Professor Dr Evan Lau said talent development cannot precede industrial growth in isolation, but must co-exist with it.
“From a university perspective, it is impossible for talent to already exist before the industry exists. They must co-exist,” he said during the Fireside Forum titled Driving Growth in Sarawak Socio-Economic Front held in conjunction with the 2026 Sarawak Budget Conference here today.
He said Sarawak’s long-term development planning, including the Post Covid-19 Development Strategy 2030 (PCDS 2030) and the 13th Malaysia Plan (13MP), already embeds this co-existence by identifying strategic industries that require forward-looking human capital planning.
“When PCDS 2030 focuses on uplifting strategic industries for the future, education plays a critical role in ensuring the right elements are in place to support these large ecosystem projects,” he said.
He noted that Sarawak is in a unique position, with four state-owned universities that can work closely with the state to bridge institutional silos and align talent development with industry needs, rather than relying solely on federal-level coordination.
“What is needed is a clear vision. Sarawak has articulated that vision through PCDS 2030, including targets towards 2030 and beyond to ensure sufficient qualified human capital for future industries,” he said.
According to Lau, state-owned universities, including UNIMAS, have the capacity to produce talent not only for industries that exist today but also for those emerging in the future.
He added that education should be viewed as a key driver of both social and economic advancement, but must be balanced with environmental sustainability.
“Development should not only look good on paper or in policy documents. Investments must be sustainable, avoid negative externalities and benefit the whole of society, not just certain segments,” he said.
He emphasised that aligning education, industry and sustainability is essential to achieving Sarawak’s development goal of inclusive growth that leaves no one behind.
