ASEAN-AUSTRALIA EDUCATION DIALOGUE IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE 47TH ANNIVERSARY OF GEORGE TOWN - ADELAIDE’S SISTER CITIES’ RELATIONSHIP
SPEECH BY CHIEF MINISTER CHOW KON YEOW
ASEAN-AUSTRALIA EDUCATION DIALOGUE
IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE 47TH ANNIVERSARY OF GEORGE TOWN - ADELAIDE’S SISTER CITIES’ RELATIONSHIP
08 Dec 2020, 11.00am
The Honourable Steven Marshall MP, Premier of South Australia
Mr. Michael Fay, Convener of the ASEAN-Australia Education Dialogue
Representatives from the Australian, Malaysian and other ASEAN Government Departments and Agencies
Representatives from the City of Adelaide
Representatives of Universities, Higher Education & TVET Institutions, schools
Distinguished guests and delegates, friends, students, ladies and gentlemen.
My warmest greetings to all of you.
47 years ago today, the former South Australian Premier, the Honourable Don Dunstan, and our 2nd Chief Minister, the late Tun Dr Lim Chong Eu, formed a formal sister-city relationship between George Town, the capital of Penang and the City of Adelaide, South Australia.
Since then, there have been a number of exchanges, projects and activities between Penang and South Australia. The recent ones being the hosting of two successive ASEAN-Australia Education Dialogue (AAED) in 2018 and 2019.
Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen.
Penang, also known as the Silicon Valley of Asia, has a highly regarded industrial, tourism and medical infrastructure. In addition to the traditional computer chips, many other technology companies are now establishing their base in Penang. This gives students here a chance to pursue internships in a variety of fields, and subsequently, employment.
Speaking of employment, I am happy to note that despite the setback of the Covid-19 pandemic, Penang has managed to record RM 10.6 bilion of total approved manufacturing investments for the first 9 months of this year, creating about 9,137 new employment opportunities in the state.
In this regard, we are particularly proud of the establishment of the PSDC (Penang Skills Development Centre) in 1989 - the first tripartite, industry-led skills training and education centre in Malaysia.
Just like Adelaide and South Australia, Penang is passionate and committed to the development of the education and training sector and intends to transform it into one of Penang's main economic drivers.
The Penang Government, through Study Penang, aspires to establish Penang as a world-class educational hub, raise awareness and recognition of the education sector, as well as leverage current and future needs of the private sector.
We want to match education and skills training with the ever-evolving needs of industry. On this, I believe that we can draw upon our sectoral strengths and learn from one another as we work towards the common aspiration in the education and training sector.
Distinguish Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen,
Penang is pleased to have embarked on a journey to transform into an international and smart city, one which is also among the most liveable, not just in Asia, but in the world.
Indeed, Penang and South Australia have also shared the common aspiration of smart and sustainable cities. In 2018, the Penang Government launched the Penang2030: A Family-Focused Green and Smart State that Inspires the Nation. This is a vision and an approach that has been worked out after consultation with stakeholders at all levels.
It contains 4 themes and strategic initiatives:
- Increase Liveability to enhance Quality of Life
- Upgrade the Economy to raise household income
- Empower People to Strengthen Civic Participation
- Invest in the Built Environment to improve resilience
I am very pleased to see today’s panel discussion on the topic of “Sustainable and Smart Cities: Building Education, Research and Skills Training Partnerships between the sister-cities of George Town & Adelaide. I am glad to see that Penang2030 will be part of today’s panel discussion. I encourage you to visit penang2030.com to find out more about our vision and plan to transform George Town and Penang into sustainable and smart cities.
As what the former South Australian Premier, the Hon. Don Dunstan said, this sister-cities relationship shouldn’t be confined solely to inter-governmental or purely business contacts, but at all levels, to create an intimate fabric of exchange and cooperation that broadens our understanding of each other.
Lastly, I hope that this dialogue will be the first of the many to come. I wish you a very productive dialogue, as we work towards building lasting and meaningful engagement that serves our shared heritage proud.
I hope that one day when the situation allows, we can host you in our beautiful UNESCO World Heritage Georgetown and that you will be able to enjoy our state of Penang, which is known for having the best food in the world, outstanding architectural heritage and diverse natural wonders.
Thank you.