KUALA LUMPUR - The Human Resources Ministry (KESUMA), in collaboration with the Human Resource Development Corporation (HRD Corp) and the International Labour Organisation (ILO), has successfully organised the inaugural Asean Skills Forum (ASF).
Bringing together a diverse group of stakeholders from across Asean, the forum included representatives from government, employer federations, workers' unions, and international partners, facilitating essential discussions on the critical challenges and opportunities in human capital development in the region.
Over 200 delegates from 16 countries participated, including attendees from the Philippines, Thailand, Cambodia, Brunei, Indonesia, Vietnam, Singapore, India, and Austria.
The focus of the forum was on harmonising skills development strategies throughout the region, a significant topic as Malaysia prepares to assume the Asean Chairmanship in 2025.
Malaysia will also propose the Asean Year of Skills (AYOS) 2025, set to kick off in January next year. AYOS 2025 will be led by KESUMA through HRD Corp, aiming to drive numerous skills development programs and activities across the region for the year.
The forum was officiated by Human Resources Minister Steven Sim Chee Keong, alongside key figures namely the ministry’s secretary-general Datuk Azman Mohd Yusof, ILO Skills and Employability Branch Chief Srinivas B Reddy, HRD Corp chairman Datuk Abu Huraira Abu Yazid and HRD Corp Chief Executive Datuk Shahul Dawood.
In his speech, Sim emphasised the importance of collaboration among Asean nations.
"Since the mid-20th century, Malaysia has received investments from top high-tech industries from all around the world beginning with the ‘Eight Samurais in Penang’ - Intel Corporation, Hewlett-Packard (now Keysight Technologies and Agilent Technologies), Robert Bosch, AMD, Litronix (now ams OSRAM), Hitachi (now Renesas), Clarion and National Semiconductor.
"Today, Malaysia is hosting global tech players such as Nvidia, Micron, Infineon, Geely, Rongsheng, Microsoft, Google, Bytedance, AWS and more with over RM30 billion in investments. Therefore, it is imperative that Malaysia work alongside our ASEAN counterparts to attract, nurture and sustain a steady stream of highly skilled, dynamic and diverse talent pool,” he said.
Meanwhile, Reddy also expressed enthusiasm for the forthcoming AYOS 2025, highlighting its potential impact and emphasised the importance of empowering vulnerable workers to ensure all has the opportunity to thrive.
"Asean has always been an inspiration for the ILO. I encourage everyone to reflect on their role, whether you are a policymaker, educator, business leader, or advocate, as your contributions are vital in shaping a brighter future of work in Asean,” he said.
During the forum, Sim also announced key enhancements to the HRD Corp Allowable Cost Matrix (ACM), which sets guidelines for HRD Corp registered employers and training providers on claimable costs for various training programs funded by the human resource development levy.
He said among the enhancements include allowing course fees to be claimed based on hourly rates rather than half-day or full-day rates, enabling employers to take advantage of shorter-duration training programs, such as professional development courses and flexible micro-credential courses.
He also said HRD Corp will increase the ceiling for course fees to up to RM1,500 per hour or RM10,500 per day, up from the previous RM6,000 per day, thus enabling employers to provide higher-quality and high-value training programs aligned with industry demands.