KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian Employers Federation (MEF) has welcomed the appointment of Datuk Seri R. Ramanan as Human Resources Minister and Datuk Khairul Firdaus Akhbar Khan as Deputy Minister, following the Cabinet reshuffle announced by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
MEF president Datuk Dr Syed Hussain Syed Husman said the federation looks forward to close collaboration with the new leadership of the Human Resources Ministry to advance practical and balanced labour policies in line with rapid economic and technological changes.
“MEF looks forward to working closely with the new leadership to advance key labour market priorities,” he said in a statement, Bernama reported.
He said the ministry plays a critical role in ensuring labour policies remain adaptive, practical and responsive to the realities faced by both employers and workers.
Among MEF’s key priorities are workforce upskilling and reskilling, the development of a National AI Workforce Framework, more predictable foreign workforce policies, including levy rationalisation, productivity-linked wage setting, and strengthened occupational safety and health, he said.
Syed Hussain said the proposed National AI Workforce Framework should be developed in close consultation with industry and social partners.
“Such a framework should focus on job redesign, skills mapping, reskilling pathways, ethical AI adoption and transitional support for affected workers. Clear policy guidance will help businesses leverage AI to improve productivity while ensuring workforce readiness and employment sustainability,” he said.
MEF also called for stronger, industry-driven skills development through enhanced collaboration between the ministry, training providers and employers, as well as better alignment of training programmes with market needs.
On foreign labour, Syed Hussain urged a more transparent, predictable and efficient policy framework, including a review of foreign worker levies.
“Levy structures should be equitable, sector-sensitive and aligned with labour market realities, while avoiding excessive cost pressures that could undermine business sustainability and competitiveness,” he said.
He added that wage policies should continue to be evidence-based and productivity-linked, taking into account economic conditions, business capacity and sectoral differences.
