Sarawak allocates RM100m for human resource development

SARAWAK has approved a RM100 million allocation for capacity building of human resources under the Sarawak Corridor of Renewable Energy (Score) plan, said the state's Second Minister of Finance Datuk Seri Wong Soon Koh.

Score, launched on February 11 last year is one of five regional development corridors being developed throughout the country, which aims to develop the state by 2020.Wong said Score would need thousands of skilled and semi-skilled human resources later.He also said that investors in strategic industries would receive attractive financial incentives to set up their operations in Score.

Among the incentives were those offered by the Malaysian Industrial Development Authority (Mida), such as pioneer status, investment tax allowance, reinvestment allowance, infrastructive allowance, import duty exemption and double deductions on freight charges, he said.

"The state government, on its part, will offer attractive rates for energy and land," said Wong who opened The Malaysian Institute of Accountants (MIA) regional conference in Kuching.Meanwhile, MIA president Abdul Rahim Hamid said MIA has introduced the Audit and Assurance Standard Board and an Ethics Standard Board in a move to tighten disciplines among its members.

"The two are aimed at addressing issues of encouraging ethical behaviour," Abdul Rahim said yesterday.Speaking at the conference, Abdul Rahim said MIA was reaching out to its members by actively engaging them in the area of education and development.

"By providing these initiatives, it is my hope that we do not have to fall back on other functions of MIA, which is to discipline misbehaving members," he said, adding that over the last one year, MIA had carried out about 500 educational events for its members.