KUALA LUMPUR – To fill the job vacancies created under its ETP (economic transformation program), Malaysia will rely on foreigners when there are not enough Malaysians to fill the vacant posts. Malaysian Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office, Idris Jala, told reporters here on Tuesday that some 3.3 million jobs would be created under ETP, out of which 46 percent lies in the technical and vocational fields.

Idris said the country would still have to rely on foreigners when there were gaps, while hoping to see the 3.3 million jobs to be filled by Malaysians. He also emphasized that the proportion of foreigners is comparatively less compared to Hong Kong of China and Singapore. Idris said, “So we should not be shy in bringing in very good quality expatriates and foreigners that can contribute to our economy”. “Frankly, it is a global economy and we will have to rely on the best talent to help us move the country forward”.

Idris said there was opportunity to create businesses in education by setting up vocational colleges that would provide the necessary training, admitting that Malaysia lacks vocational and technical workforce. While adding that the Malaysian government was looking for the right people to start the corporation, Idris said, “For some of these people, we want them to return”.

The Malaysian government is targeting to raise the country’s gross national income per capital to 16,000 U.S. dollars by 2020; it unveiled an ambitious economic transformation program here on Tuesday. The GNI per capita of the country of 6,700 U.S. dollars in 2009, this is more than double.