Anwar urges GLCs to give extra training to grads from poor families

KUALA LUMPUR: Government-linked companies (GLC), including petroleum conglomerate Petronas, have been urged to provide extra intensive training for fresh graduates from the B40 lower-income group to enhance their skills and employability.

PKR president Anwar Ibrahim said this could help significantly in reducing the unemployment rate among fresh graduates in Malaysia, including among those who are at a disadvantage due to their poor command of English.

“Upon graduation, 60% of fresh graduates will remain unemployed.

“GLCs, including Petronas, should start a new initiative for the poorer graduates.

“If they don’t understand digital technology, give them intensive training. For goodness sake, give them extra training from 8am to 10pm, nothing else,” he said at the Youth Economy Forum held here today.

Anwar said GLCs and Petronas could choose the best among the B40 fresh graduates to provide the training to enhance their English proficiency.

“I was impressed with a group of Chinese students in Oxford who had a strong command of English.  I was told that they were given a one-year intensive English course upon graduation in Shanghai to qualify for the university. It was remarkable.

“Perhaps, we can give our fresh graduates a few years of basic training because we have the capacity. This is what youths must express and demand,” he said.

The forum on the theme “Ripples: Youth in the Driver’s Seat” was also attended by Youth and Sports Minister Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman.

He said youths should be given more opportunities to lead in every agency, department and corporation in the country.

“I believe young people of today can deliver when they are given the opportunity to lead. Change the hearts and minds of those around you.

“Most importantly, bring along with you many other young people to empower them. Ensure that when you leave, there will be 10 or thousands of other young people who are given the same chance or even better,” he said. - FMT