Latest news with #2025TradeUnionAffairsProgramme
The Sun
5 days ago
- Business
- The Sun
Over RM1.5 million in PHEKS 2025 aid approved for 114 Southern Zone applications
JOHOR BAHRU: A total of RM1.5 million has been approved for 114 applications from the Southern Zone under the 2025 Trade Union Affairs Programme (PHEKS), said Deputy Human Resources Minister Datuk Seri Abdul Rahman Mohamad. He said the amount marked a significant increase from the RM674,000 disbursed for 85 applications in the same zone in 2024, reflecting the growing participation in the ministry's empowerment programmes. 'For the Southern Zone, which covers Johor, Melaka and Negeri Sembilan, 195 applications amounting to over RM3 million have been received so far,' he added. 'Out of the total, 114 applications have been approved, involving an allocation of RM1,505,462,' he told reporters after officiating the Southern Zone PHEKS 2025 Assistance presentation ceremony here today. Also present were JHEKS director-general Mohd Asri Abdul Wahab, Congress of Unions of Employees in the Public and Civil Services (CUEPACS) deputy president II Azman Shah Abdul Rahman, and Union Network International-Malaysian Liaison Council (UNI-MLC) president Datuk Mohammed Shafie BP Mammal. Abdul Rahman said Johor received the highest allocation, amounting to RM703,565 for 61 applications, followed by Negeri Sembilan with RM441,900 for 32 applications, and Melaka with RM359,998 for 21 applications. He also emphasised that the annual allocation to trade unions under the PHEKS programme has steadily increased over the past three years, underscoring the government's ongoing commitment to strengthening the role of unions as strategic partners in the national labour ecosystem. 'In 2023, the government allocated RM2.6 million. This increased to RM5.8 million in 2024, and for this year, RM10 million has been set aside to empower trade unions nationwide. 'We hope this figure will continue to grow, surpassing RM10 million in 2026,' he said. At the same event, Abdul Rahman also presented assistance to union representatives and officiated the launch of two research publications on trade unions titled 'The Role of Trade Unions in Combating Forced Labour Issue in Malaysia' and 'SSPA: Heading to a More Secure Retirement'. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Human Resources (KESUMA), in a statement, disclosed that trade union membership in Malaysia has now surpassed 1 million, with 1,038,435 registered members across 762 unions as of 2024.
The Sun
5 days ago
- Business
- The Sun
Over RM1.5 million in PHEKS 2025 aid approved
JOHOR BAHRU: A total of RM1.5 million has been approved for 114 applications from the Southern Zone under the 2025 Trade Union Affairs Programme (PHEKS), said Deputy Human Resources Minister Datuk Seri Abdul Rahman Mohamad. He said the amount marked a significant increase from the RM674,000 disbursed for 85 applications in the same zone in 2024, reflecting the growing participation in the ministry's empowerment programmes. 'For the Southern Zone, which covers Johor, Melaka and Negeri Sembilan, 195 applications amounting to over RM3 million have been received so far,' he added. 'Out of the total, 114 applications have been approved, involving an allocation of RM1,505,462,' he told reporters after officiating the Southern Zone PHEKS 2025 Assistance presentation ceremony here today. Also present were JHEKS director-general Mohd Asri Abdul Wahab, Congress of Unions of Employees in the Public and Civil Services (CUEPACS) deputy president II Azman Shah Abdul Rahman, and Union Network International-Malaysian Liaison Council (UNI-MLC) president Datuk Mohammed Shafie BP Mammal. Abdul Rahman said Johor received the highest allocation, amounting to RM703,565 for 61 applications, followed by Negeri Sembilan with RM441,900 for 32 applications, and Melaka with RM359,998 for 21 applications. He also emphasised that the annual allocation to trade unions under the PHEKS programme has steadily increased over the past three years, underscoring the government's ongoing commitment to strengthening the role of unions as strategic partners in the national labour ecosystem. 'In 2023, the government allocated RM2.6 million. This increased to RM5.8 million in 2024, and for this year, RM10 million has been set aside to empower trade unions nationwide. 'We hope this figure will continue to grow, surpassing RM10 million in 2026,' he said. At the same event, Abdul Rahman also presented assistance to union representatives and officiated the launch of two research publications on trade unions titled 'The Role of Trade Unions in Combating Forced Labour Issue in Malaysia' and 'SSPA: Heading to a More Secure Retirement'. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Human Resources (KESUMA), in a statement, disclosed that trade union membership in Malaysia has now surpassed 1 million, with 1,038,435 registered members across 762 unions as of 2024.
The Sun
23-05-2025
- Business
- The Sun
Several policies in place to address imbalance between high-value jobs and graduates
KLANG: To overcome the imbalance between the number of high-value jobs offered in the labour market and the number of graduates from higher learning institutions as well as Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), the government has launched several policies to address the matter, according to Human Resources Minister Steven Sim. The minister said among the policies in question were the MADANI Economic Framework and progressive salary policy which were among the efforts made by the government across ministries to ensure that every graduate and worker received a dignified remuneration. 'We have about 300,000 university graduates yearly, plus 100,000 TVET graduates, making a total of 400,000 Malaysians with higher education qualifications, but every year we are only able to generate 50,000 high-value and highly skilled jobs,' he said. He said this when met after the 2025 Trade Union Affairs Programme (PHEKS) Central Zone assistance handover ceremony here today. Sim also encouraged workers to join trade unions so that suitable salaries or remuneration could be negotiated well with employers. Yesterday, the media reported that more than 65 per cent of degree holders in the country earn a monthly salary of below RM3,000, thus earning an 'enough to eat' income with no room to save, invest or increase their social mobility. In addition, more than 70 per cent of graduates in the country were found to be forced to work in the semi-skilled and unskilled sectors. The findings were obtained through a study The 'Gaji Cukup Makan' Economy: When Higher Education Becomes an Economic Risk, conducted under the Malaysia Labour Market Insight Series.
The Sun
23-05-2025
- Business
- The Sun
Govt acts to bridge gap between graduates and job market
KLANG: To overcome the imbalance between the number of high-value jobs offered in the labour market and the number of graduates from higher learning institutions as well as Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), the government has launched several policies to address the matter, according to Human Resources Minister Steven Sim. The minister said among the policies in question were the MADANI Economic Framework and progressive salary policy which were among the efforts made by the government across ministries to ensure that every graduate and worker received a dignified remuneration. 'We have about 300,000 university graduates yearly, plus 100,000 TVET graduates, making a total of 400,000 Malaysians with higher education qualifications, but every year we are only able to generate 50,000 high-value and highly skilled jobs,' he said. He said this when met after the 2025 Trade Union Affairs Programme (PHEKS) Central Zone assistance handover ceremony here today. Sim also encouraged workers to join trade unions so that suitable salaries or remuneration could be negotiated well with employers. Yesterday, the media reported that more than 65 per cent of degree holders in the country earn a monthly salary of below RM3,000, thus earning an 'enough to eat' income with no room to save, invest or increase their social mobility. In addition, more than 70 per cent of graduates in the country were found to be forced to work in the semi-skilled and unskilled sectors. The findings were obtained through a study The 'Gaji Cukup Makan' Economy: When Higher Education Becomes an Economic Risk, conducted under the Malaysia Labour Market Insight Series.
