Sirim Expands Services To Support Ecer Growth

August 05, 2009 19:19 PM

Sirim Expands Services To Support Ecer Growth

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 5 (Bernama) -- SIRIM Bhd is expanding its services to cater to the industry needs at the Eastern Corridor Economic Region (ECER).

In a statement here today, SIRIM said it would provide the ECER technical assistance and human capital development in the areas of metal fabrication technology, packaging and labelling and post-harvest machinery in agriculture.

"These services will also be expanded to new companies which are expected to be established in ECER, it said.

Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Datuk Dr Maximus Ongkili, said with the development of Tanjung Agas in Pekan, Pahang as part of ECER zone to create activities in petrochemical and fabrication engineering work, the demand for these services was expected to grow significantly.

"This will provide opportunities for employment to the local community and small medium enterprises (SME) technical support services," he said.

SIRIM, he said, has been actively involved in SME development activities, which included the enhancement of product packaging and labelling in the food-related industry.

"This is in line with the objective of ECER in upgrading and improving the product presentation of companies which are operating in this region," he said.

He said SIRIM has also proposed to train and assist welders to be qualified underwater welders and inspectors under the Tenth Malaysia Plan (10MP).

Ongkili said this skill was in demand especially in the petrochemical (offshore), port, marine (ship maintenance and repair) and liquid-filled tanks.

For this, he said, SIRIM proposed an allocation RM6 million under the 10MP to cover infrastructure development, human capital development and equipment for the underwater welding centre in Pahang.

-- BERNAMA