SHAH ALAM (March 1): The Social Security Organisation (Socso) and the Ministry of Human Resources (MOHR) have been given a month to develop a new upskilling training module to produce more competent workers.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said that a strategic enhancement of workers’ skill set would enable the country to compete in a more sophisticated job market, especially in areas with high demand from industrial players.

He said the rapid technological changes today also demand a paradigm shift in departments, breaking away from outdated methods and bureaucratic red tape.

“That is the purpose of my presence today (Friday], to strengthen resilience to ensure that we move with a new paradigm shift, and are not bound except by systems or approaches that are good and need to be maintained.

“Therefore, I’m giving Socso and MOHR a month to submit their proposal on how we can introduce something new in the form of an upskilling training programme that is much more significant than what we have done before,” he said.

The prime minister said this when launching the MOHR MyFutureJobs Career Carnival and the 2024 Employment Support Scheme Initiative here on Friday.

Also present were Selangor Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari and Minister of Human Resources Steven Sim Chee Keong.

Elaborating, Anwar said that, after that one month, the Minister of Human Resources is expected to present the proposal to the Cabinet for consideration and approval.

He also expressed hope that Socso and MOHR would not see the request as a burden but as an opportunity to prove their readiness to shoulder such a responsibility to bring about urgent and critical changes for the country.

Anwar, who is also finance minister, said the rapid technological changes pose a challenging issue that is difficult to address if the country is still restrained by outdated training modules for the workers.

In this context, Anwar said Perkeso needs to do away with meaningless fancy terms and instead, make comprehensive changes in formulating the upskilling training module by introducing new instruments, even if it requires an overhaul of the existing skills training system.

The prime minister said his Madani Government also aims to ensure that all groups of workers are given the opportunity and space to improve their skills and living standards, regardless of their background, whether they are People with Disabilities (PwD) or not.

He also expressed confidence that the MOHR and Socso can train individuals in any form of skills, and the government is ready to provide support and make changes to the existing system.

“Rest assured that, as long as I am entrusted to lead [the government], we will make changes to achieve the desired progress because Malaysia deserves to rise again as an advanced and greatest country in the world,” he added.

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