KUALA LUMPUR: The establishment of an Asean Green and Digital Skills Taskforce can unite the region and keep it future-ready, says Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.
Ahmad Zahid, who is also the National Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Council chairman, said the proposed regional movement would allow for concrete action and measurable targets.
“Perhaps from this very gathering, we can establish a new regional movement that unites us while cultivating the talent our region needs,” he said when launching the Asean TVET Conference at the World Trade Centre here yesterday.
He said the success of any one nation (in Asean) in TVET is no longer enough.
“Our workforce is increasingly regional and our challenges are shared,” he said of Malaysia’s proposal to establish an Asean TVET Certification and Excellence Hub, which aims to function as a central body that will set benchmarks, ensure mutual recognition and promote mobility for skilled workers across borders.
Ahmad Zahid, who is also Rural and Regional Development Minister, stressed the need to pioneer cross-border apprenticeship programmes.
“This way, a student from the Philippines can train in Malaysia, an Indonesian in Vietnam and a Thai graduate in Singapore – turning Asean integration into a living reality through the movement of skills and knowledge,” he said, emphasising that Malaysia’s TVET journey does not stop at its borders.
According to him, Malaysia has forged impactful pathways, including 5,125 industrial placements in China, collaboration with the Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence in Abu Dhabi, and skills exchanges with Japan, Germany and Australia.
The Deputy Prime Minister added that 53.56% of Malaysia’s secondary school leavers chose TVET as their first choice in 2024.
Graduate employability, he said, currently stands at 95.1%, reflecting how skills training is matching job opportunities.
“Applications to national TVET institutions have since surged past 200,000. We have also introduced new certification levels which are equivalent to higher education qualifications.
“This gives our advanced technical graduates the credibility to compete on the global stage,” he said, adding that the minimum wage coverage has also been expanded to include semi-skilled and TVET graduates.
Human Resources Minister Steven Sim, who was also present at the event, said Asean should be a platform for experience-sharing in skills training.
“The different stages of our industrialisation and the different sectors, where each has our respective own competitive advantages, will enable us to complement each other,” he said in his remarks at the launch.
Citing Malaysia’s extensive experience in the high-tech manufacturing sector, specifically semiconductors, he said the country also aspires to be a world-class skills training centre.
“Our unique national experience will surely be useful to fellow member states who are perhaps exploring similar paths. Malaysia too, can benefit from learning from our neighbours,” said Sim.
The Asean TVET Conference is jointly organised by the Human Resource Development Corporation and the Skills Development Fund Corporation Malaysia.
It is the fourth flagship platform under the Asean Year of Skills 2025.
Themed “Advancing Digital and Green Transformations through an Inclusive and Future-Ready TVET System”, the two-day conference explores how the region can enhance the quality, relevance and accessibility of TVET to meet the demands of a rapidly evolving economy.
Gimino, G., & Fairus, S. (2025, August 14). Towards a skilled Asean workforce. The Star (Nation). Retrieved from https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2025/08/14/towards-a-skilled-asean-workforce
- Flextronics Union Busting Case Still Being Discussed Amicably, MOHR
The Ministry of Human Resources (MOHR) confirmed that complaints of alleged union busting involving Flextronics Penang and XSD International Paper are still being addressed through amicable negotiations. In a written reply to Tan Hong Pin (Bakri) during the Dewan Rakyat session today, the ministry stated that the Department of Industrial Relations Malaysia (JPPM) has received […] - KESUMA bangun platform latihan baharu untuk pekerja
KUALA LUMPUR: Kementerian Sumber Manusia (KESUMA) sedang membangunkan platform program latihan baharu yang diluluskan pakar industri dan boleh diakses semua lapisan masyarakat. Menteri Sumber Manusia Steven Sim Chee Keong berkata program itu akan memilih dan menghimpunkan kursus kemahiran terbaik yang ditawarkan oleh penyedia latihan dalam dan antarabangsa. “Program pendidikan untuk pekerja kita perlu mengandungi komponen […] - NHCCE 2025 concludes three transformative days of empowering the workforce of tomorrow
KUALA LUMPUR: The National Human Capital Conference & Exhibition (NHCCE) 2025 has concluded at the Malaysia International Trade and Exhibition Centre (MITEC), marking the end of three impactful days under the theme ‘Navigating the Human Capital Revolution’. The conference reaffirms its position as Malaysia’s premier platform for thought leadership, collaboration and innovation in the field […] - Malaysia’s worker productivity up 2.4pc per worker in 2024 as govt targets fewer foreign labour
KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 7 — Malaysia’s worker productivity increased by 2.4 per cent in 2024, with value added per worker amounting to RM99,265 compared to RM96,914 in the previous year, according to the Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry (MITI). Deputy Minister Liew Chin Tong said the rate was calculated based on the value of […] - 246 aduan Union Busting diterima, KESUMA pastikan hak pekerja terbela
KUALA LUMPUR, 8 Oktober– Hak kebebasan pekerja menubuhkan serta menyertai kesatuan sekerja akan terus dilindungi terutama dari segi penindasan atau amalan union busting. Timbalan Menteri Sumber Manusia, Datuk Seri Abdul Rahman Mohamad berkatasejak tahun 2015 hingga 31 Ogos lepas, sebanyak 246 aduan berkaitan amalan union busting telah diterima oleh Jabatan Perhubungan Perusahaan Malaysia (JPPM). “Berdasarkan […] - TVET just got a major upgrade with RM7.9b in Budget 2026 to power Malaysia’s high-tech future
KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 11 — The increased allocation for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) to RM7.9 billion under Budget 2026 reflects the government’s strong commitment to nurturing a skilled, high-income and innovative workforce. National TVET Council (MTVET) member Howard Lee Chuan How said the focus on key sectors such as Artificial Intelligence […] - Budget 2026 introduces enhanced EPF scheme for gig workers, self-employed to boost savings
PETALING JAYA: The Employees Provident Fund (EPF) will roll out several initiatives next year to boost retirement savings and social protection, particularly for informal and self-employed workers, under Budget 2026. Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim announced that the government will introduce i-Saraan Plus, an enhanced voluntary contribution scheme designed for gig workers, e-hailing drivers […] - 2026 Budget: SMEs, microbusinesses to benefit from stamp duty relief, RM1bil digital financing
KUALA LUMPUR: The government will raise the salary threshold for employment contracts exempted from stamp duty — from RM300 to RM3,000 per month — effective Jan 1, 2026. The move, announced under the 2026 Budget by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim in Parliament, aims to further ease the cost of doing business by reducing […] - Govt rules out gig firms’ mandatory contributions to Socso, for now
KUALA LUMPUR (Oct 9): Malaysia has no immediate plan to compel gig economy platforms to make mandatory social security contributions though the government will consider the proposal for future policy improvements. The government recognises the need to preserve the flexibility and independence that define gig work, which distinguishes gig workers from conventional full-time employees under […] - Fewer than 300 union-busting reports in 10 years, says Human Resource Ministry
KUALA LUMPUR: The Industrial Relations Department (IRD) reports receiving only 246 complaints of union-busting in the last 10 years. Deputy Human Resources Minister Datuk Seri Abdul Rahman Mohamad said such complaints, received between 2015 and Aug 31 this year, related to union-busting practices or actions by employers that undermine trade union rights. Of the number, […]