3,000 prisoners with skills certificates by 2033, says Akmal Nasir

MELAKA - The Ministry of Local Government and Housing Development (KPKT) has set an ambitious goal to train 3,000 inmates to possess the Malaysian Skills Certificate (SKM) in Solid Waste Management and Public Cleansing by 2033.

Deputy Local Government and Housing Development Minister Akmal Nasir said the "Sinar Di Sebalik Tirai Besi Skills Certification" programme which comes at a cost of RM1.57 million.

The programme involves 17 prisons.

He said the programme will include inmates from Henry Gurney School and rehabilitation centres under the National Anti-Drug Agency (AADK).

The programme, a partnership with Solid Waste Management and Public Cleansing Corporation (SWCorp) with the Malaysian Prison Department aims to assist former inmates into building new lives after completing their rehabilitation.

The certificate programme includes several levels from being a general worker, progressing to supervisor and management positions, he said this at Sungai Udang Prison today.

Also present were Senior Exco for Housing, Local Government, Drainage, Climate Change and Disaster Management, Datuk Rais Yasin and Director-General of Prisons Datuk Nordin Muhamad.

As a Johor Bahru MP, he expressed hopes that this effort could help reduce reliance of about 6,000 foreign workers out of the total of 27,000 workers in the public cleansing sector in the country.

Since June 1, a total of 280 inmates from 17 prisons across Peninsular have been selected to participate.

"Inmates who joined the program starting from June 1 will receive a monthly allowance of RM500 for the duration of eight months throughout the certification programme."