Asean TVET Council must chart a clear path forward, says Zahid
He said the dialogue is about building an Asean-wide ecosystem, one that places TVET at the centre of the region's future, with the Asean TVET Council as the nerve centre that connects policies, aligns standards, and drives shared growth.
"First, we must expand TVET access to rural communities, especially youth, because the future cannot be built on urban skills alone.
"In Malaysia, GiatMara, a long-standing TVET institution under Majlis Amanah Rakyat (Mara) and my ministry, has shown what's possible. It has equipped rural youth with skills, and over 50 graduates have become millionaires in various technical fields," he said in his keynote address at the ATC 4th RPD, themed "TVET for Rural and Regional Advancement" here on Wednesday (June 11).
Also present were Melaka Chief Minister Datuk Seri Ab Rauf Yusoh, Melaka State Secretary Datuk Azhar Arshad, Deputy Minister of Rural and Regional Development Datuk Rubiah Wang and representatives from Asean, Germany and Australia.
He emphasised that Asean must work to bridge the skills gap by promoting industry-driven, demand-based training programmes.
According to him, the region needs a talent pipeline shaped by the needs of factories, plantations, and emerging green industries across Asean, and to achieve this, it requires industries to co-develop training, share apprenticeships, and open cross-border job opportunities.
"Thirdly, we must build TVET as a full ecosystem, aligning education, industry, infrastructure, certification and digital access, all guided by data and coordinated by ATC," he said.
Ahmad Zahid said that as Asean Chair this year, Malaysia is ready to coordinate and lead.
"We propose the formalisation of Malaysia as the Asean TVET Certification and Excellence Hub, and we look forward to the full support of all member states in making this a shared regional legacy," he said.
He said TVET is no longer on the sidelines, as it now stands at the very centre of national economic strategies, and in this global race for relevance, skills are the new currency.
"Malaysia is not only championing skills development, but also laying the groundwork for Asean to become a TVET powerhouse.
"Let us work together to ensure TVET remains accessible, relevant and future-proof for all. Let us commit to building an Asean where no talent is left untapped and no community is left behind.
"With the right mix of training, mentorship and market access, TVET becomes a powerful tool for poverty eradication and generational change," he said. – Bernama
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Barnama
4 hours ago
- Barnama
Melaka Govt To Improve Educational Facilities In Rembia Constituency
ALOR GAJAH, Aug 16 (Bernama) -- The Melaka government is committed to improving educational facilities in the Rembia state constituency, said Chief Minister Datuk Seri Ab Rauf Yusoh. He said that the initiative involved the construction of a new building for the Alor Gajah District Education Office worth RM15.9 million and a new building for the Datuk Seri Mohd Zin Vocational College valued at RM15.8 million. 'Given the large number of students in the area, the state government has also proposed the construction of a new national secondary school to the federal government. 'Insya-Allah, we will strive to ensure that it is included in the 13th Malaysia Plan,' he said at the closing ceremony of the Rembia-level Wakil Rakyat Untuk Rakyat (WRUR) Programme and the launch of the 2025 state-level National Month and Flying the Jalur Gemilang campaign at Dataran Keris tonight. Also present were State Science, Technology, Innovation and Digital Communications Committee chairman Datuk Fairul Nizam Roslan, who is also the Rembia constituency coordinator and state secretary Datuk Azhar Arshad. Ab Rauf said that the state government had also agreed to build a Sekolah Rendah Agama (SRA) or religious primary school, in Kampung Rembia and a kindergarten in Kampung Sungai Petai as high-impact development projects for next year. He said that the Melaka Islamic Religious Department (JAIM) had allocated over RM90,000 to upgrade two SRAs in the Rembia constituency and the Sekolah Menengah Arab Al-Faizin in Jelatang. Ab Rauf added that the state government had allocated RM8.6 million through the Melaka Health Department to upgrade the second operation theatre at Alor Gajah Hospital, which is expected to be completed by April 2026. 'In addition, RM1.4 million has been approved to repair the roof of the Alor Gajah Health Clinic's Klinik Ibu dan Anak unit, while RM435,000 has been allocated for repairs at the Rembia Health Clinic,' he said.
The Star
5 hours ago
- The Star
Bangladesh looks to Malaysia's influence to address the Myanmar Rohingya crisis, says Yunus
KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 16 (Bernama): Bangladesh is seeking Malaysia's influence, particularly its role as Asean Chair, to rally international efforts to address the prolonged Rohingya refugee crisis in the country. Chief Adviser to Bangladesh's government Prof Dr Muhammad Yunus said Malaysia's experience in hosting Rohingya refugees, coupled with its leadership position in Asean, places it in a unique position to push for a comprehensive regional solution. "We are hoping that Malaysia will put its influence in the whole negotiation to make sure that we can overcome this problem,' he told the Malaysian National News Agency (Bernama) in a special interview before concluding his official visit to Malaysia. The interview with the 2006 Nobel Prize laureate was led by Editor-in-Chief Arul Rajoo Durar Raj, Editor of International News Service Voon Miaw Ping, and Assistant Editor of Economic News Service Kisho Kumari Sucedaram. Yunus also warned that the refugee crisis has deepened amid ongoing fighting in Myanmar's Rakhine state between the Arakan Army and government forces, forcing fresh waves of Rohingyas fleeing across the border into Bangladesh. "In the last 18 months alone, 150,000 new Rohingyas have arrived, in addition to the 1.2 million already in Bangladesh. "It becomes more and more acute. And worst of it, the US cut off all the funds to maintain them. So that is a huge problem for us,' he said. The Chief Adviser said three international conferences on the Rohingya will be convened in the coming months to seek a sustainable solution. The first is scheduled in Cox's Bazar at the end of this month, coinciding with the eighth anniversary of Bangladesh assuming responsibility for hosting Rohingya refugees fleeing hostilities in their home state. The second high-level meeting will take place on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in September, while the third is planned for year-end in Doha, Qatar. Repatriation efforts have made little progress, further complicated by the ongoing armed conflict in Myanmar since 2021. The protracted humanitarian crisis continues to affect not only Bangladesh but also several Asean member states, including Malaysia, Thailand, and Indonesia. Malaysia, though not a signatory to the 1951 United Nations Refugee Convention or its 1967 Protocol, continues to temporarily host nearly 150,000 Rohingya refugees on a humanitarian basis. The Rohingya crisis began in 2017 following a military crackdown in Myanmar's Rakhine State, which triggered a mass exodus of Rohingya into Bangladesh. - Bernama
Barnama
10 hours ago
- Barnama
Timor-Leste's Accession As A Permanent ASEAN Member Draws Closer
SEREMBAN, Aug 16 (Bernama) -- Timor-Leste's permanent membership in ASEAN is now at the documentation stage, ahead of its official admission as a full member during the ASEAN Summit scheduled for October. 'At the upcoming ASEAN Summit in October, there will be a ceremony to welcome Timor-Leste as a permanent member of ASEAN. Right now, it is only at the documentation stage,' Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan told reporters today. 'Most of ASEAN's requirements have already been fulfilled by Timor-Leste. We decided that they should first be admitted as a permanent member, after which ASEAN will assist them in completing the remaining documentation process,' he said after officiating the women, youth, and puteri UMNO Rembau division meetings here today. bootstrap slideshow ASEAN reaffirmed its commitment to admitting Timor-Leste as the 11th member at the 47th ASEAN Summit in October, in line with the decision made at the 46th Summit. In the Joint Communique issued following the 58th ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting on July 9, ministers expressed their commitment to supporting Timor-Leste in expediting its early accession to key ASEAN economic agreements to facilitate its full integration into the regional bloc. 'We look forward to Timor-Leste fulfilling its roles and obligations as an incoming member state and its commitment to upholding ASEAN's fundamental principles,' it read. Timor-Leste, Southeast Asia's youngest nation, applied for ASEAN membership in 2011, nine years after gaining independence on May 20, 2002. Although the process has been lengthy and challenging, Dili has demonstrated strong commitment in meeting the bloc's stringent membership criteria. In February, Malaysia announced a contribution of US$200,000 to the ASEAN Secretariat's Timor-Leste Unit in Jakarta to help expedite the membership process.
