Encouraging response: Ahmad Zahid (centre) mingling with participants during the National Training Week closing ceremony at Putrajaya International Convention Centre. — Bernama
PUTRAJAYA: If Malaysia wants to be a “Tiger of Asia” it not only must have productivity, but also increase its output and competitiveness among other industry pioneers, says Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.
“Our skills matter. We are in a very favourable location on the map, and it has benefited us.
“But without political stability, what we have achieved would only become history,” the Deputy Prime Minister said after attending the closing ceremony of the National Training Week (NTW) here yesterday.
Despite market uncertainties, he said Malaysia had achieved good economic growth in the first quarter of this year compared with the same period last year.
“We can achieve something this year. What’s important is that our workforce must be well trained at all levels,” he said.
Ahmad Zahid said he was delighted with the encouraging response to the inaugural NTW organised by the Human Resources Ministry and Human Resources Development Corpora-tion (HRD Corp).
NTW 2023 was a training week that ran from May 22 to today that brought together organisations and individuals from various backgrounds and industries for training and development.
It was offered free to Malaysians, is based on Technical and Voca-tional Education and Training (TVET), is implemented intensively, and is career-focused.
Ahmad Zahid said training at the NTW level is crucial to increase productivity among the workforce in this country.
With 1,291 TVET institutions nationwide and a RM6.8bil government allocation, he expressed hope that the over 227,000 TVET training sessions annually will be a “low-cost high impact” approach.“Our TVET graduates should not be paid like post-SPM workers. All half-skilled and skilled workers should have a starting pay of RM3,000 a month.
“This should be done as we progress towards a developed nation,” he said.
He also asked the ministry and HRD Corp to conduct a survey on training needs to increase employee productivity.
Calling on employers to appreciate their workers, Ahmad Zahid said workers have often been left behind amid employers’ and company shareholders’ calls for increased productivity.
“I also sympathise with those in the workers’ unions in certain industries following the increase in the cost of living.
“That’s why we must step out from the perception of compensation through wages and salaries but also fringe benefits that must be given to workers.”
Human Resources Minister V. Sivakumar, in his speech, said NTW 2023 recorded 21,052 courses involving 103,823 participants and 404,312 hours of training as of Friday.
“NTW can also inspire the private sector and industry in introducing more innovative and creative skills development methods,” he said.
