OCI workforce in Samalaju now 90pct Sarawakian, Deputy Premier calls for greater local participation

Awang Tengah chairs a meeting with the management of OCI Holdings Ltd during a working visit to the company's headquarters in Seoul, South Korea on May 29, 2026.

By DayakDaily Team

KUCHING, May 31: Sarawak Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan has called on South Korean conglomerate OCI Holdings Ltd to continue strengthening local participation and content in its operations in Sarawak, as about 90 per cent of the company’s 1,100-strong workforce at Samalaju Industrial Park are Sarawakians.

Awang Tengah made the call during a working visit to OCI Holdings Ltd in Seoul, South Korea on May 29, where he led a Sarawak delegation as part of ongoing efforts to strengthen economic cooperation and investment ties between Sarawak and the Republic of Korea.

According to a statement, Awang Tengah encouraged OCI to continue prioritising local participation across its business operations while expressing confidence in the company’s long-term commitment to investing in Sarawak.

He also reaffirmed that the Sarawak government would continue to uphold its business-friendly policies and whole-of-government approach in facilitating and supporting the company’s investments in the State.

OCI operates in Sarawak through OCI TerraSus at Samalaju Industrial Park, where it currently employs approximately 1,100 workers. The company said around 90 per cent of its workforce comprises Sarawakians.

“OCI places strong emphasis on local talent development through structured career development programmes, professional capability-building initiatives, and various overseas training in Korea and Japan.

“Through these initiatives, OCI remains committed to nurturing a highly skilled local workforce and supporting the development of globally competitive Sarawakian talent,” the statement read.

The company’s confidence in Sarawak’s industrial ecosystem has also enabled the expansion of its business ventures through strategic partnerships with South Korea’s Kumho P&B Chemicals Inc. through OCIKumho and Japan’s Tokuyama Corporation through OTSM.

“Building on the advanced joint venture management capabilities and global partnership experience, OCI aspires to serve as a key industrial partner and a driving force within Sarawak’s industrial ecosystem contributing to Sarawak’s vision of becoming a leading hub for high-value manufacturing and sustainable economic development in the region,” it added. — DayakDaily