KUALA LUMPUR: The Works Ministry estimates that some 30,000 jobs will be created in the construction sector and other related fields next year.

       Deputy Works Minister Datuk Arthur Joseph Kurup said the job opportunities will be offered under the Short-Term Employment Programme (mySTEP) and Professional Training and Education for Growing Entrepreneurs (Protege) which will begin in January.

       "Under Budget 2022, we (the Works Ministry) want to boost the construction sector to create employment opportunities for locals, especially the youth," he said on the Selamat Pagi Malaysia programme on RTM's TV1 on Monday (Nov 29).

       He said industry players need to use technology and mechanisation for the implementation of construction projects in line with the industry's transition under the Fourth Industrial Revolution (IR 4.0) in order to attract interest and create more employment opportunities.

       According to him, it will also reduce dependence on foreign labour in the long term.

       Apart from that, he said the mandatory condition for contractors who get government contracts exceeding the threshold value of RM10mil – which requires an allocation of 1% of the contract value to implement Protege – would also boost employment opportunities in the construction sector.

       Meanwhile, he said the government would continue with high-impact development projects worth RM3.5bil, among them the construction of the Pan Borneo Highway and Central Spine Road, in an effort to stimulate the country's economic recovery.

       Arthur said the government would also continue to implement small and medium projects worth RM2.9bil in total earmarked for G1-G4 contractors nationwide, and allocate RM200mil for small-scale projects specifically for bumiputra participation.

       "For this year, RM200mil has been allocated for the Maintenance Contractors Development Programme involving 564 G1-G4 contractors, namely 337 from the peninsula and 227 from Sabah, Sarawak and Labuan," he said.

       In Budget 2022, the Works Ministry received an allocation of RM7.3bil which includes an operating budget of RM823mil and a development budget of RM6.48bil. – Bernama