PBK: Education fairs, career expos must not leave rural Sarawakians behind

Voon Lee Shan

By DayakDaily Team

KUCHING, June 19: Education fairs and career expos organised by the Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) government must ensure equal access for rural communities and not become urban-centric events that leave interior Sarawakians behind, said Parti Bumi Kenyalang (PBK).

PBK president Voon Lee Shan said the success of such initiatives should not be judged merely by attendance numbers or publicity, but by whether they genuinely reach and benefit all Sarawakians, especially those in rural and remote areas of Sarawak.

In a statement today, PBK welcomed efforts by the state government to expand educational and employment opportunities, but stressed that geographic realities must be taken into account when organising such programmes.

“Sarawak is geographically vast, and many communities continue to face challenges relating to transportation, connectivity, and access to information. Students and job seekers from the interior often incur significant costs to travel to major urban centres where such events are commonly held.

“Unless specific measures are implemented to assist rural participants, there is a risk that the opportunities promoted at these expos will primarily benefit urban populations,” he said.

Voon also cautioned that if career opportunities promoted at expos are concentrated mainly in cities, this could further accelerate rural-to-urban migration.

“A meaningful policy should include strategies to create sustainable employment and entrepreneurship opportunities within rural Sarawak, allowing young people to contribute to the development of their own communities,” he added.

Emphasising Sarawak’s multicultural fabric, Voon said education and career initiatives must be inclusive of all communities, including Malays, Chinese, Iban, Bidayuh, Orang Ulu, Melanau and others, with accessible information and outreach regardless of language or location.

He further stressed that such expos should not be treated as one-off publicity exercises, but must be evaluated based on measurable outcomes such as scholarships, training placements, internships and job opportunities secured by participants.

“PBK believes that education and employment opportunities should be distributed fairly across Sarawak. No student or job seeker should be disadvantaged because of where they live or which community they come from.

“Sarawak’s future depends on empowering all its people, not just those who are easiest to reach,” he added. — DayakDaily