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Sunday March 18, 2012

DPM urges youth to acquire more skills

By R.S.N. MURALI and ALLISON LAI
newsdesk@thestar.com.my


MALACCA: Although the skills level of Malaysian youth has improved, they need to further improve to be more marketable in the workplace.

“The common grouse is that our youth possess inadequate proficiency in English and other crucial skills that would improve their employability,” Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said.

He was addressing local youth during a special meeting and dialogue session at MITC here yesterday.

Muhyiddin said the youth should strive to improve their command of the English language beside strengthening their mastery of Bahasa Malaysia.

“Market forces require youth to be proficient in two or more languages,’’ he noted.

He urged the youth to actively participate in transformation programmes, introduced by the Government under the 1Malaysia banner, to further enhance their capabilities.

“They should take part in Government- managed skills development programmes,” said Muhyiddin, who is also the Education Minister.

He also noted that the country needed an estimated 3.3 million skilled workers in the next decade.

Earlier, during a 1Malaysia buffet held at the public field in Taman Maju in Jasin, Muhyddin said Malaysia was only eight years away and on track in achieving developed nation status. This was achieved because of the good governance of Barisan Nasional.

“It did not happen by chance but took tho­rough planning, preparation and hard work,” he said.

The Deputy Prime Minister, who was accompanied by his wife Puan Sri Norainee Abdul Rahman, also announced an allo­cation of RM5.5mil for the Jasin district.

Muhyiddin, who is on a one-day visit to Malacca, also met Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam and state Umno leaders during separate closed-door meetings at the Chief Minister’s official residence.

During his meeting with army personnel at Sungai Udang later in the evening, he announced another RM5mil allocation.

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