ID :
177350
Sat, 04/23/2011 - 06:01
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/177350
The shortlink copeid
SHIPPERS MUST PUT MORE EFFORT TO DRAW LOCAL SEAFARERS - DR M
KUALA LUMPUR, April 23 (Bernama) -- Former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamed Friday urged local shipping companies to put in more effort to attract locals to join the seafaring profession.
"People need to know that seafaring is a noble profession with immense potential and numerous career opportunities," he said.
Dr Mahathir said the number of local seafarers was still insufficient to meet Malaysia's needs.
Currently Malaysia had more than 4,700 merchant ships and slightly
more than 1,000 of these trade internationally in terms of shipping tonnage, he said.
"Presently, on record we have about 20,000 Malaysian seafarers but many of them serve the domestic trade. At the same time, our reliance on foreign seafarers continue, and this year alone we have more than 9,500 foreigners serving on board our ships," he said at Institut Kelautan Malaysia (IKMAL)'s silver jubilee gala dinner here.
Having contributed significantly to the economic sector, Dr Mahathir said, the industry was not only professional in its work but also could become one of the sources to train local human resources in achieving developed nation status by 2020.
"It goes without saying that we should have a highly trained, highly skilled, highly competent and highly motivated work force that can drive our nation," he said.
Thus, Dr Mahathir said, a professional body such as IKMAL must promote pride in being a professional into the psyche of incumbent and potential recruits.
"People need to know that seafaring is a noble profession with immense potential and numerous career opportunities," he said.
Dr Mahathir said the number of local seafarers was still insufficient to meet Malaysia's needs.
Currently Malaysia had more than 4,700 merchant ships and slightly
more than 1,000 of these trade internationally in terms of shipping tonnage, he said.
"Presently, on record we have about 20,000 Malaysian seafarers but many of them serve the domestic trade. At the same time, our reliance on foreign seafarers continue, and this year alone we have more than 9,500 foreigners serving on board our ships," he said at Institut Kelautan Malaysia (IKMAL)'s silver jubilee gala dinner here.
Having contributed significantly to the economic sector, Dr Mahathir said, the industry was not only professional in its work but also could become one of the sources to train local human resources in achieving developed nation status by 2020.
"It goes without saying that we should have a highly trained, highly skilled, highly competent and highly motivated work force that can drive our nation," he said.
Thus, Dr Mahathir said, a professional body such as IKMAL must promote pride in being a professional into the psyche of incumbent and potential recruits.
