Upskilling of workers in Japan will benefit nation, says Saravanan

KUALA LUMPUR: Sending “unskilled” workers to Japan to hone their skills will only add value to Malaysia, says Human Resources Minister Datuk Seri M. Saravanan.

“I am not sending any skilled worker to Japan. I am sending unskilled workers so that they will return to our country as skilled workers,” he said while addressing reports on skill exports.

Saravanan was responding to the Federation of Malaysian Manufacturers’ (FMM) concern on a potential export of skilled Malaysians to Japan, saying that FMM should have sought for clarification from him on the matter.

The trade association also asked for more information on the memorandum of collaboration (MOC) between the two countries after the government recently said that it planned to send local skilled graduates and/or eligible skilled workers to work in Japan under a MOC.

He said once these workers who were sent to Japan returned to Malaysia in five years, they will be skilled, and big Japanese companies here will absorb them.

This may also prompt Japanese companies to set up operations in Malaysia due to the availability of skilled workers here.

“It is going to add value to the country and the individual,” he said at a press conference here after a campaign at the Social Security Organisation (Socso) encouraging volunteers from various government agencies to sign up as Socso contributors.

A total of 50,496 volunteers with government agencies such as the armed forces, Royal Malaysian Police, Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency, Civil Defence Force (APM), Malaysia Volunteers Corps Department, Islamic Development Department of Malaysia (Jakim), and the Social Welfare Department, have registered to contribute to Socso’s Self-Employment Social Security Scheme (SKSPS).

The initiative under Budget 2022, is meant for groups who volunteer at government agencies, serve at Islamic houses of worship, work in community rehabilitation centres, and operate under contracts in the civil service.

The event was also attended by Socso’s board chairman Prof Tan Sri Datuk Dr Mohamed Haniffa Abdullah, Perkeso CEO Datuk Seri Dr Mohammed Azman Aziz Mohammed, Bukit Aman Narcotics Criminal Investigation Department (NCID) director Datuk Ayob Khan Mydin Pitchay, Bukit Aman Crime Prevention and Community Safety Department (JPJKK) deputy director Datuk Mazli Mazlan, Chief Commissioner of the Civil Defence Force (APM) Aminurrahim Mohamed, Rela director-general Yahya Sulaiman, while the army and the navy were represented by assistant Chief of Staff (Human Resources) Rear Admiral Datuk Pahlawan Muhammad Ruzelme Ahmad.