Govt committed to upskilling workers, says Sim

New Straits Times

8 hours ago

PUTRAJAYA: The government is intensifying efforts to restore dignity to Malaysian workers by pushing for fair wages, safer working conditions, and greater access to upskilling, said Human Resources Minister Steven Sim.
Sim said Malaysia must move away from the low-wage economic model and instead attract high-value industries that can offer better-paying jobs for local talent.
"We are in a race to catch up on lost time, lost opportunities and missed progress. And indeed, when I was appointed as the minister responsible for human resources, one of the things that keeps me up at night is workers' wages.
"I want our workers to receive wages that truly reflect the value of their work. But I also recognise that wages are not determined solely by the generosity of employers or the skills of workers," he said at the launch of the P10X Academy here today.
He said that while wages were often viewed as the responsibility of employers or tied to workers' competency, the deeper challenge lies in the country's overall economic structure.
"If the majority of our workers remain in traditional sectors such as agriculture or low-skilled manufacturing, naturally, wages will remain low."
He also said Malaysia has been caught in the middle-income trap since the 1990s and must now transition towards high-value industries such as semiconductors, consulting, and advanced engineering in order to break through.
To support this, Sim said the government was actively courting strategic investments from global tech giants, including Microsoft and Google, which could create high-quality jobs for Malaysians.
"These are not just local companies, they are defining how the world uses the Internet and mobile technology. Together with local firms and government support, they can lift us up the value chain."
He said this was aligned with the Madani Economy framework introduced by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, which aims to "raise the ceiling" by increasing the value of economic output, and "raise the floor" by improving workers' wellbeing.
"We cannot allow companies to rake in millions while underpaying workers or ignoring minimum wage laws. Workers must be properly compensated."
Sim said the ministry was focused on three strategic priorities: improving workers' welfare, upgrading skills, and boosting productivity, which he referred to as the "3Ks" under the broader objective of "karamah insaniah" (human dignity).
"Our goal is for every worker to go to work with dignity, be fairly paid, and return home safely."
Among the initiatives introduced is the UP_TVET portal, which centralises applications to more than 600 public and private TVET institutions. The portal has received over 140,000 applications to date.
He said the ministry had also reduced the certificate processing time for national skills accreditation from two months to two weeks, with a target of just one day in the future.
To elevate the standing of technical education, he said the government was amending the National Skills Development Act (Act 652) to include Levels 6, 7, and 8, making TVET qualifications equivalent to those of a bachelor's, master's, and even PhD levels.
"We want to make it clear that TVET is not a second-class option. It is a viable and prestigious pathway to career success and national development."
He added that skilled Malaysian workers were increasingly in demand, especially those with certified technical qualifications.
"This is why we are investing over RM10 billion this year in education and skills training. If we want high-value jobs, we must build high-value people."