Yayasan Peneraju empowers Bumiputera talent, unlocking potential and shaping future leaders across diverse fields.-123rf.com
THE nation is focused on building a more competitive economy that delivers sustainable growth and more equitable incomes. Central to this ambition is talent development through stronger skills, greater innovation and the growth of high-value, technology-driven industries. Within this agenda, Bumiputera empowerment remains a critical pillar. While progress has been encouraging, greater strides are still needed in capability-building, entrepreneurship and leadership.
The Bumiputera Economic Transformation Plan 2035 (PuTERA35) reflects this urgency with a clear focus on enabling Bumiputera not only to participate, but to excel as leaders and innovators in shaping Malaysia’s economic future.
For the past 13 years, Yayasan Peneraju (YP), an agency under the Economy Ministry, has been at the forefront of building Bumiputera talent.
YP started with a mission to build wealth through education and skills. Today, that mission has grown into creating value by equipping individuals to become decision-makers and industry leaders.
To date, YP’s programmes have empowered over 70,000 Bumiputera talents to secure higher earnings and more definitive industry roles. This has been achieved through a structured approach combining financial aid, professional upskilling and reskilling and technical training. Alumni have since gone on to become leaders in accounting, trailblazers in technology, specialists in medicine and skilled professionals across diverse industries.
“Beyond financial support, YP provided me a strong network and structured pathway,” said Abby.
One such success story is Dr Abby Ashraff Saprudin, a Fellow of the Certified Practising Accountant (FCPA), 44, from Cyberjaya, who received a YP sponsorship to pursue the Certified Practising Accountant (CPA) Australia qualification. In 2017, he became the first CPA Australia graduate under YP, the same year he completed his PhD in Accounting.
“Beyond financial support, YP provided me a strong network and structured pathway. They believed in my potential when international professional qualifications seemed out of reach. “Their support allowed me to focus on excelling in my studies and applying what I learned in real-world contexts.”
Today, Abby serves as deputy dean for student experience and alumni at Multimedia University’s Faculty of Management.
YP supported Hannah (second from right) in her transition from a non-tech to tech role, helping her build the confidence to advance in her career.
YP’s programmes have also opened doors for women in technology, an industry where female representation remains low. Hannah Saqinah Haris, 29, from Kuala Lumpur, who began her career in finance, had no prior information technology (IT) experience before enrolling in YP’s Microsoft Cloud Solution Expert programme, where she successfully earned her Azure Cloud certification.
“At the time, I had zero knowledge of cloud systems. But YP gave me the financial backing and confidence to take that leap of faith.
“After gaining my certification, I suddenly had a new lens to view the world and my career,” she shared.
Today, Hannah is an IT audit manager at a multinational oil and gas company, where she combines finance and tech expertise while mentoring young talents. Hannah’s story as a YP alumna shows how upskilling can change the course of a career and open pathways into entirely new industries.
Building on such success stories, YP now aims to replicate this impact through YPXLR8 (YP Accelerate), a place-and-train initiative designed to help individuals from non-tech fields transition into technology careers. This programme aspires to create sustainable opportunities for 1,000 Bumiputera talents, while helping to meet Malaysia’s rising demand for digital skills.
“Moving forward, our mission is to keep nurturing and developing Bumiputera talents, but with a sharper focus,” said Ibrahim.
YP chief executive officer Ibrahim Sani said “Moving forward, our mission is to keep nurturing and developing Bumiputera talents, but with a sharper focus.
“Professional certifications and technology will remain at the centre because that is where the need and opportunity are greatest.”
In 2020, YP supported 150 accounting scholars. By 2023, that number had doubled and this year it has expanded fivefold to 1,500. By 2030, YP’s goal is to support 5,000 accounting scholars annually, contributing more than 10,000 new chartered accountants within six years.
YP’s programme in accounting offers a fast-track route to professional qualifications. Instead of only qualifying in their early 30s, talents can become chartered accountants by 21 through the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW) or the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA). By 24, they already have three years of work experience, full membership and are earning competitive salaries, giving them a strong head start in their careers.
“Today, Malaysia has about 40,000 chartered accountants. Our aspiration is to help grow that number to 50,000 within the next five years.
“The same urgency applies to technology, where we estimate Malaysia faces a shortfall of over 100,000 technologists.
“This year, 8,000 individuals enrolled in our tech programmes and the target is to grow to 50,000 annually by 2030. Our alumni base today is about 80,000 and will reach 200,000 by 2030. This is the scale of transformation we are driving,” he added.
Over the next five years, YP will also guide its talents into clear leadership pathways, preparing them to become business leaders, professional leaders and community leaders via the Talent Bank. Launched in 2024, YP aims to develop 10,000 high-impact individuals by 2030. These will be the next generation of Bumiputera leaders, equipped with the skills, confidence and influence to drive Malaysia’s growth in line with the Madani Government’s economic agenda.
For those interested in pursuing accounting and technology certifications - including individuals transitioning from non-tech to tech careers - full details on YP’s financing scheme, courses and eligibility are available at https://peneraju.org.
