PUTRAJAYA, March 2 — The timber industry will obtain the services of engineering graduates from local universities under the 2021 Timber Industry Engineer Placement and Internship Programme.

Plantation Industries and Commodities Minister Datuk Mohd Khairuddin Aman Razali said the programme, which will involve the first batch of 80 students, was a collaboration between the Malaysian Timber Council (MTC) and eight local universities.

"The programme will boost graduate marketability and strengthen the development and innovations of the timber industry,” he told reporters after witnessing the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between MTC, timber associations and higher learning institutions for the programme here today.

Also present was Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Noraini Ahmad.

According to Khairuddin, the timber industry, Malaysia’s third-largest commodity sub-sector, achieved good export performance last year, at RM22.1 billion at a time the country is facing the Covid-19 pandemic.

It represents 14 per cent of the total commodity exports and 2.2 per cent of the nation’s total export goods.

Meanwhile, MTC chief executive officer, Muhtar Suhaili, said the council would absorb the training cost as well as provide a RM2,000 allowance to participants.

 He said the engineer placement programme is a one-year programme for engineers to undergo on-the-job training under the guidance of professionals while the internship is open to undergraduates to undergo industrial training. — Bernama