KUALA LUMPUR, June 5 – Malaysia need more skilled workers to enable the country to achieve the targetted export revenue of RM52 billion from the timber industry by 2020 said Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, tonight.
He said there were currently 300,000 workers in the timber industry with revenue from the export of wood products reaching RM20.2 billion in 2012, especially furniture products contributing RM6.55 billion.
In line with the country’s aspiration to become a high income nation by 2020, the Malaysian Timber Industry Board (MTIB) and the Education Ministry are working together to churn out qualified skilled workers in the field.
“With such efforts in place, I am confident the landscape of workers in the timber industry will undergo a transformation with the current 28 percent skilled workers figure rising to 35,” he said when speaking at the ‘Sekalung Budi ke 40 MTIB’ here, today.
He added that to fulfill the aspiration of the country to become a leader in the timber industry and export of wood products, bumiputras, both small and medium sized entrepreneurs must be involved in the industry.
Muhyiddin also hoped MTIB, the Ministry of Plantation Industries and Commodities and agencies under the ministry would work together to expand the potential of the timber industry.
He said currently Johor, especially Muar, contributed about 50 percent of the timber export in the country in the form of furniture.
-BERNAMA
