Council all for the move to empower Sabah professionals
Published on: Thursday, July 25, 2024
.jpg "Council all for the move to empower Sabah professionals")
SPC officials with SEAC members.
Kota Kinabalu: Sabah Professional Council (SPC) advocates for the Sabah Professional Enactment that will significantly empower local professionals to become more independent and self-regulated.
Its Ad Hoc President Ar Rizal Ahmad Banjar said despite recognising the legal complexities of introducing such legislation, SPC firmly believes it is essential for the advancement of local professionals.
ADVERTISEMENT
Additionally, he said, SPC is considering organising the inaugural Sabah Professional Conference to engage local professionals, the public, relevant stakeholders and industry players.
“Through professional clusters in construction, finance, law, medicine, and other fields, the conference aims to address industry-specific issues and propose solutions from the perspective of local professionals,” he said in a statement Monday.
Rizal said SPC is committed to the sustainability of ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) in Sabah by collectively aiming to increase the quality of life, create employability and at the same time reduce poverty as part of corporate social responsibility.
By focusing on these factors, he said SPC can contribute positively to society’s collective responsibility and enhance our sustainability and performance.
ADVERTISEMENT
“Social issues such as hardcore poverty, which is one of the national and state main agendas, will also be part of the component to be deliberated by SPC through its professional clusters.
Hardcore poverty should be viewed and tackled via means of fair labour practices, supporting local communities as well as engaging in collective philanthropic initiatives.
ADVERTISEMENT
By addressing the root causes of poverty and inequality, only then are we able to make a meaningful impact on society to create a more inclusive economy.
“SPC is confident that its ESG initiative aligns with the objectives of Sabah Maju Jaya, as endorsed by the State Government. With the establishment of the Sabah Professional Council and its agenda, it would effectively aid the holistic advancement of the State,” he said.
According to him, SPC has recently made an engagement with the Sabah Economic Advisory Council (SEAC) headed by its Chairman Tan Sri David Chu and Political Secretary to the Chief Minister Datuk Dr Roland Chia in establishing the role of SPC to be more dynamic and complimenting the efforts of the State Government, apart from championing the issues faced by the local Sabahan professionals, on economic and social issues in Sabah with respect to the Sabah Maju Jaya aspiration.
SPC currently has the backing of 12 local professional associations namely Association of Sabah Architects (ASA), Sabah Engineers Association (SEA), Sabah Law Society (SLS), The Association of Registered & Licensed Land Surveyors Sabah (Sajuta), Sabah Dental Practitioners’ Society (SDPS), Sabah Medical Association (Sama), Sabah Quantity Surveyors Society (SQSS), Sabah Landscape Architects Association (SLAA), Sabah Town Planners Association (Stopa), Sabah Pharmaceutical Society (SPS), Sabah Institute of Accounting Professionals (SIAP) and Professional Real Estate Society of Sabah (Press).
Rizal has highlighted that the local Sabahan professionals have set up their respective professions’ representation through local professional societies and associations.
This in turn via the common platform of SPC would elevate further the stature and profile of local professionals.
In view of the diverse professions in SPC, he said clusters would be created in accordance to their professional affiliation and expertise such as construction, finance and taxation, medical, legal and others.
“It would be further expanded in anticipation of more local professionals expressing their interest in joining SPC. Through these professional clusters would make SPC more relevant and proactive in contributing to the State’s economic betterment and enhancement.”
In line with the Sabahan First Policy, Rizal said SPC is committed to ensuring that local professionals receive the appropriate recognition and support to enable their contributions to the State’s development, encompassing infrastructure, economic, and social sectors.
“Particularly in light of the emergence of “backdoor” professionals and perceived inefficiencies in government projects, SPC believes that empowering local professionals can help address these issues. As front-line experts with extensive industry knowledge, SPC and relevant local professionals are confident that these challenges can be effectively managed.”
The empowerment of local professionals is also being explored and discussed.
Rizal said in alignment with the MA63 agenda, SPC believes that local professionals should be provided with a robust legal platform to be more decisive in managing the aforementioned issues.
Historically, most professional bodies in Sabah have operated as extensions of their national counterparts, often neglecting the specific interests of local professionals, he added.
He said local professionals are highly capable, often matching or exceeding their counterparts in other regions of the country.
“Recently, a local YB raised concerns regarding the KKIA toilet projects, highlighting not only the imbalance in project opportunities for locals but also perpetuating the notion that local professionals are subpar and only fit for minor roles,” he said.
Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express’s Telegram channel.
Daily Express Malaysia
