Kota Kinabalu: Sabah's first One Stop Labour Centre opened its doors Monday, consolidating 12 key federal agencies under one roof to streamline employment, skills and labour-related services for the state’s workers and employers.
Located at Sutera Avenue, it is part of the Human Resources Ministry’s broader Kesuma Madani initiative to bring services closer to the people, particularly in regions like Sabah that have long grappled with access and coordination issues.
Minister of Human Resources Steven Sim Chee Keong, who officiated the launch, said the centre is designed to make it easier for individuals and businesses to get assistance without navigating multiple agencies separately.
“This is a model we hope to replicate, not just in East Malaysia, but in any region where people face challenges accessing federal services,” Sim said.
The centre hosts the Department of Labour (JTK), Department of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH), Industrial Relations Department (JPP), Department of Skills Development (JPK), National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (Niosh), Human Resource Development Corporation (HRD Corp) and the Social Security Organisation (Socso), among others.
Sim said the Federal Government’s goal is to close the service delivery gap between Peninsular Malaysia and East Malaysia.
He noted that the centre embodies the Ministry’s approach to ‘serve with integrity, dignity and effectiveness’.
“The people of Sabah deserve the same level of attention and quality of public service as any other Malaysian,” he said.
Sim also launched the new HRD Corp Sabah Office which operates from the same premises. The office is equipped with seminar rooms, training facilities and co-working spaces to support skills development and industry engagement.
HRD Corp Chief Executive Datuk Dr Syed Alwi Mohamed Sultan said the office would act as a training and coordination hub, particularly for small businesses and community-based development programmes.
A new partnership between HRD Corp and the Malaysian Professional Accountancy Centre (MyPAC) was also announced to promote professional certification among local youth and businesses, particularly in the finance and accounting sectors.
Speaking to the media, Sim said the One Stop Centre reflects a practical way to deliver results without increasing administrative layers.
“The One Stop Centre approach demonstrates that public service delivery can be adapted without expanding bureaucracy,” Sim said.
He said the centre allowed agencies to share information, resources and processes to reduce duplication and improve efficiency for the public.
State Minister of Industrial Development and Entrepreneurship Datuk Phoong Jin Zhe, said the centre will strengthen coordination between workforce development and economic planning in the State.
Phoong said the presence of HRD Corp and other agencies in a centralised location aligns well with Sabah’s industrialisation efforts under the Sabah Maju Jaya roadmap.
“Sabah needs a workforce that is prepared for new and emerging sectors. This centre helps bring that vision closer to reality,” he said this to the media.
He added that the State Government will work closely with HRD Corp to ensure that training programmes reflect industry needs and benefit local workers, particularly in underserved areas.
Phoong also acknowledged HRD Corp’s outreach efforts, saying that the inclusion of community-targeted modules such as digital upskilling for women from island communities showed that public training need not be limited to urban centres.
