Beringgis ABM Campus Positions Sabah as East Malaysia’s TVET Hub

30 August 2025

PAPAR: Sabah marked a new milestone in human capital development today with the official launch of the RM130.6 million construction project for the Malaysian Construction Academy (ABM) Sabah Regional Campus in Beringgis.

Chief Minister Datuk Seri Panglima Haji Hajiji Haji Noor said the new 34-acre campus will serve as a key catalyst in empowering Sabah’s youth through Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), particularly in the construction sector.

He said the state-of-the-art facilities at the new campus are expected to accommodate up to 700 trainees at any one time, thereby increasing youth training capacity by 73 per cent and construction personnel by 39 per cent compared to the temporary ABM campus in Kayu Madang, Kota Kinabalu.

“Today, we are opening a new chapter for Sabah. This campus will produce a highly skilled workforce, nurture young talent, enhance their competitiveness in the job market, and position itself as the East Malaysian hub for Construction TVET,” he said at the groundbreaking ceremony held at the ABM Beringgis project site on Saturday.

Hajiji added that the initiative is in line with the Sabah Maju Jaya development roadmap, which places emphasis on infrastructure and human capital development as key pillars of the state’s economic growth.

He noted that the establishment of the Sabah State TVET Council (MTS) in May this year reflects the government’s commitment to coordinating more than 160 TVET training institutions in Sabah to meet current industry demands.

According to him, ABM Sabah and CIDB Tech have successfully trained over 7,000 trainees since their establishment, achieving an employability rate of up to 85 per cent.

Among the most in-demand fields, he said, are scaffold erection, welding, gas piping installation, machinery operation, electrical works, air conditioning, and plumbing — skills required not only in the construction industry but also in the international oil and gas sector.

“With this modern campus, equipped with the latest technology such as drones, simulation tools and digital equipment, Sabah will be able to produce more skilled workers to meet global market demand,” he said.

Hajiji also expressed confidence that the campus would generate economic spillovers for Papar District, particularly Kampung Beringgis and its surrounding areas, while strengthening Sabah’s position as a competitive centre for TVET training.

He further expressed hope that the campus would produce new TVET icons, such as Rudy Mohammad, an ABM Sabah alumnus in Architectural Drafting who was recognised as the Construction TVET Icon in 2024 and went on to achieve international success.

At the same event, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) exchange ceremony was held between ABM Sabah and three strategic partners — the Sabah Housing and Real Estate Developers Association (SHAREDA), KTI Sdn Bhd and Tas Institute of Oil & Gas — to ensure ABM graduates gain tangible employment opportunities in the housing, construction and oil and gas sectors.

Hajiji also announced the construction of a new community hall in Kampung Beringgis, opposite the campus site, which will be named Dewan Tan Sri Osu Sukam.

“The naming is a token of appreciation for the services and contributions of former Chief Minister of Sabah, Tan Sri Osu Sukam, who was also the former Member of Parliament for Papar and State Assemblyman for Kawang , not only to the Papar District, but also to the state and the nation,” he said.