Socso, Pepper Labs team up to train youth in AI, digital skills
The collaboration is part of Pepper Labs' ongoing efforts to drive impact and nation-building through technology and partnerships.
Pepper Labs has helped over 300,000 Malaysians build artificial intelligence (AI) and digital skills, and is now working with the public sector to bring AI into government services.
Through this programme, unemployed Malaysian youth receive fully sponsored scholarships for globally recognised certifications in high-demand fields like AI, cybersecurity, data analytics, project management, and digital marketing.
Socso identifies candidates via its MYFutureJobs platform and career fairs, while Pepper Labs leads implementation, offering full support including technical training, soft skills, and job placement to prepare graduates for meaningful employment.
Human Resources Minister Steven Sim said the ministry is committed to empowering our youth with skills that match the demands of tomorrow's economy.
"Through this partnership between Socso and Pepper Labs, we are ensuring that unemployed graduates are not left behind in the digital transition.
"This initiative is a testament to our belief in the potential of our young talent and our resolve to uplift them with meaningful, globally recognised opportunities," he said in statement.
Google Malaysia director Farhan Qureshi said the partnership reflects the commitment of Google to playing a vital role to ensure the growth of the country's digital ecosystem, advancing Malaysia together.
He noted that the certification programme will provide new opportunities, allowing unemployment graduates to find new opportunities.
Pepper Labs was most recently recognised by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim under Budget 2025, with a national commitment to establish community cloud kitchens across underserved communities, further expanding its role in inclusive job creation and local enterprise development.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New Straits Times
5 minutes ago
- New Straits Times
Malaysia approves RM11.6bil in furniture investments
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia has approved a total of 1,533 furniture-related projects with a combined investment value of RM11.62 billion as of March this year, according to the Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA) Deputy Investment, Trade and Industry Minister Liew Chin Tong. He noted that 62 per cent of these investments were domestic, while the remaining 38 per cent came from foreign sources. To support the industry's international reach, Liew said the Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry (MITI), via the Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (Matrade), continues to offer the Market Development Grant (MDG) to eligible Malaysian companies engaging in international trade promotion. "For overseas trade promotion activities, MATRADE provides up to RM25,000, while for locally held international trade events, RM5,000 is available," he said during a special chamber session in the Dewan Rakyat today. He was responding to a question from Tan Hong Pin (PH–Bakri) on the development of long-term, realistic and flexible policies for the furniture industry. Liew also revealed that 314 furniture companies have benefitted from the MDG so far, with a total of 4,148 applications approved — the highest among all sectors. These grants have disbursed RM12.25 million to companies in the furniture industry, contributing to RM1.46 billion in export sales between January 2021 and 30 July 2025. Addressing industry concerns over market disruption by foreign firms, Liew said the government acknowledges the issue. "While there are currently no restrictions on foreign investments in Malaysia's furniture sector, the government, through MIDA, is shifting its approach and will no longer promote labour-intensive foreign investments in this space," he said. He added that all MIDA offices abroad would be notified that the sector has reached a mature and globally competitive stage, and thus no longer requires foreign investment.
New Straits Times
an hour ago
- New Straits Times
Muamalat Invest launches MiDAS to unlock Islamic wealth for underserved sectors
KUALA LUMPUR: Muamalat Invest Sdn Bhd (MISB), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Bank Muamalat Malaysia Bhd, has launched Muamalat-i Dana Sinar (MiDAS) – a strategic initiative aimed at unlocking Islamic private wealth to fuel inclusive and sustainable economic growth. Positioned as a catalytic vehicle, MiDAS seeks to direct Shariah-compliant capital into high-impact sectors of the Malaysian economy that remain critically underfunded, including areas such as small and medium enterprises (SMEs), healthcare, agriculture, and green development. The initiative is part of MISB's broader agenda to strengthen Malaysia's Islamic finance ecosystem, aligning capital mobilisation with national priorities while delivering both ethical and economic returns. Muamalat Invest chief executive officer Khadijah Sairah Ibrahim said MiDAS serves as a platform for impactful capital, offering stable and growth-driven returns while addressing genuine financing needs within Malaysia's entrepreneurial landscape. "Our vision is to offer value-based solutions that empower investors to succeed with purpose and contribute meaningfully to nation-building," she said. MiDAS channels private capital into productive, real-sector businesses, with a focus on underserved micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), in support of Malaysia's national goals for inclusive, sustainable, and values-based economic growth. The initiative is designed to offer investors access to high-quality Islamic private credit instruments, sourced through recognised market operators (RMOs) approved by the Securities Commission Malaysia. "MiDAS is more than just an investment fund – it's a channel for purposeful capital. It delivers stable, growth-oriented returns while meeting real financing needs across Malaysia's entrepreneurial ecosystem. Our vision is to offer value-based solutions that empower investors to succeed with purpose and contribute meaningfully to nation-building," Khadijah said. By unlocking capital for MSMEs, which represent over 97 per cent of Malaysian businesses, MiDAS plays a pivotal role in narrowing financing gaps, catalysing entrepreneurship, and building economic resilience.
New Straits Times
2 hours ago
- New Straits Times
The 13th Malaysia Plan: Strategic clarity in an age of disruption
LETTERS: As economic certainties are breaking apart at the seams by fragmentation, digital disruption and rising protectionism, the tabling of the 13th Malaysia Plan (13MP) under the Madani government could not have come at a more critical juncture. Where once there was predictability and stability, bolstered by robust competition, the global landscape is now dominated by intense strategic rivalry and geo-economic uncertainty. Long a trading nation and a highly open economy, Malaysia must navigate these treacherous waters, exposed to global headwinds, not least the Trump administration's re-imposition of tariffs. The current 19 per cent duty on most Malaysian exports to the US, though a reduction from earlier announcements, reflects a difficult compromise. Exemptions for key sectors such as semiconductors soften the blow, but the overall message is clear: trade is becoming more politicised, and diversification is no longer optional but essential. Some have suggested that Malaysia's arrangement with the US bears little distinction from those secured by its regional peers, or worse, represents a form of quiet capitulation. Such critiques overlook a key reality: economic diplomacy in today's climate is no longer about extracting perfect outcomes, but about managing asymmetries wisely. Malaysia's approach has been guided by strategic calculus, not submission, and herein lies the difference. Malaysia has safeguarded critical policy space, including Bumiputera affirmative action, protective tariffs for strategic industries such as automotive, and the continued issuance of Approved Permits (APs), all while ensuring continued dialogue with Washington. The 13MP responds to these realities with a forward-looking framework that positions the country for resilience and renewal. It outlines a vision of strategic autonomy rooted in structural reform, domestic capacity-building and constructive global engagement. Building Strength for a Digital and Industrial Future A central theme of the 13MP is the development of Made by Malaysia products, anchored in existing policy documents such as the New Industrial Master Plan 2030. In addition to prioritising research, commercialisation and innovation, the 13MP supports high-growth sectors, aims to attract high-impact investments, and strengthens the nation's talent base. This ambition is writ large in the commitment to artificial intelligence and digital transformation. Malaysia must move beyond backend assembly in global value chains. The RM10 billion investment by Nvidia, partnering Khazanah Nasional, reflects international confidence in Malaysia's capacity to become a regional pivot for high-performance computing, AI infrastructure and data governance. Yet, this is only the beginning. The 13MP envisions nurturing home-grown innovation, making domestic firms more competitive and equipping Malaysians for the technological frontier. It advances these goals by strengthening industry-academia collaboration, supporting the AI ecosystem under the National AI Roadmap, and promoting agile governance through regulatory sandboxes. At its core, the 13MP is about economic, institutional and societal resilience. The focus is on value creation and long-term quality investment, where public spending and policy incentives serve strategic objectives, not the least being boosting domestic value capture and supporting high-impact sectors. As for the National Energy Transition Roadmap, gearing the nation towards a low-carbon, high-value economy, the kicker is in catalytic projects and investment opportunities in green hydrogen, solar manufacturing and grid modernisation. Energy resilience and environmental stewardship are crucial to ensure we aren't left at the starting block in the global green economy race while laying the foundation for new industrial ecosystems that align with long-term national interests. Reclaiming Global Relevance Through Economic Diplomacy Malaysia's tradition of non-alignment remains a key advantage. Our credibility with both East and West, combined with a reputation for moderation and consistency, positions us to bridge divides in a fractured global order. The 13MP builds on this by encouraging deeper engagement with emerging markets, reinforcing commitment to multilateral platforms such as the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, and reaffirming Malaysia's leadership role in Asean as well as participation in BRICS. Economic diplomacy, in this regard, is not incidental but a core pillar of the 13MP, demonstrating the inextricable link between domestic reform and global positioning. By expanding trade relations with sub-Saharan Africa and Latin America and leveraging existing trade agreements, the 13MP seeks to fortify resilience in an era of shifting power and contested norms. Its call for fairness, predictability and sovereignty in digital and trade governance reflects long-term strategic interests. Still, the 13MP is only as strong as its execution. While Malaysia has never lacked for vision, the adage that between the ideal and the reality falls the shadow of incoherence and failure sometimes still rings true. Nevertheless, we take heart that the 13MP introduces mechanisms for inter-agency coordination, performance tracking and institutional accountability. This is vital considering that we were once dragged down by a system that prioritised form over substance. And, in order to truly appreciate the role of the 13MP in today's context, we must move beyond outdated critiques and assess what national planning means in an era of complexity and disruption. It has become fashionable among some commentators to dismiss Malaysia's five-year plans as relics of Soviet-style economic totalitarianism. But this ignores both the evolution of the planning process and the complexity of modern governance. Unlike Stalinist central planning, the 13MP does not attempt to micromanage the economy, nor does it presume to absolutely override market mechanisms. Instead, it provides strategic clarity in areas where the market alone cannot resolve collective dilemmas such as climate resilience, energy security, digital infrastructure and regional inequality. Clearly, Adam Smith's "invisible hand" has remained largely invisible in times of economic turmoil. Intervention, where strategically planned and executed, is imperative. Most importantly, the 13MP is not a promise of overnight transformation. Real change demands political will, technocratic skill and broad societal alignment. It calls for the courage to move beyond antiquated paradigms and the discipline to commit to long-term thinking. In the end, the 13MP represents a new understanding of development. It is not about managing scarcity or distributing subsidies, but about unlocking potential, building strategic capacity and preparing for a future that will not wait. If we approach the implementation of the 13MP with the same earnestness and clarity with which it was conceived, Malaysia can do more than weather the global storm. We can reclaim our agency, shape our regional future and advance a model of shared prosperity rooted in resilience, inclusion and innovation. A tall order, no doubt, but by no means unattainable
