THE Association for Welfare Community and Dialogue (Acid) welcomes Malaysian Employers Federation president Datuk Syed Hussain Syed Husman’s statement urging the government to remove the red tape on tax incentives to encourage internships for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) students.
According to him, this would encourage more micro and smaller and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) to provide internships to students requiring industrial training.
Doing away with the prevailing bureaucratic red tape for employers would avail employers to the tax incentives for providing internships.
This would encourage more MSMEs to provide internships to students requiring industrial training.
He also noted that presently, skilled workers in the country still remain at a low of 29%, compared with the ideal level of above 50% achieved by most developed nations.
“As the country is moving towards mechanisation, automation and digitalisation, the country needs stronger technical labour to execute the growth and development plans.
“The diplomas and degrees conferred to TVET graduates should be fully recognised by the government and industries,” Syed Hussain said.
While Acid welcomes this statement, it is obvious that MEF has only highlighted a part of TVET’s educational development while ignoring its wholeness or holistic development that should involve existing workers.
If only 29% of workers are skilled today, MEF should shoulder equal responsibility with the government on why it has failed to upskill and reskill its workers over the years.
Has MEF done honest research on why we have more low-skill workers compared with developing nations?
It is also vital that suggested industry input on the curriculum for TVET education should also cater to existing workers who work in factories, hotels and service lines so that TVET education is democratised, where every Malaysian worker has the opportunity and incentives to enjoy equal TVET education.
Therefore, MEF should also incorporate its existing workforce in the development of TVET education.
Ronald Benjamin
Secretary
Association for Welfare Community and Dialogue
