PUTRAJAYA: Talent Roadmap 2020 is set to ensure a large pool of professionals to meet the needs of an advancing Malaysia, especially in the critical areas of the Economic Transformation Programme.

The roadmap that Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak unveiled has three Strategic Thrusts: Optimise Malaysian Talent, Attract and Facilitate Global Talent and Build Networks of Top Talent.

The Prime Minister said that Strategic Thrust One focuses on recognising that Malaysian talent is ultimately the most important and sustainable pipeline of talent to meet the needs of future development.

“Strategic Thrust Two recognises that with the fast-changing economic requirements, Malaysians abroad and foreign talent are an important source to complement Malaysians in the country to drive transformation.

“Strategic Thrust Three is in relation to TalentCorp (Talent Corporation Malaysia Berhad) building networks of top talent by key sectors and geographies to better enable leading employers to engage and source needed talent,” he added when presenting the roadmap here yesterday.

To optimise Malaysian talent, including engaging fresh graduates entering employment, Najib said TalentCorp has set out a three-pronged approach to create awareness of job and career opportunities; to enhance the transition from school to workplace including through internship; and to optimise talent through platforms such as the management of government schools.

Under the second approach, the Government had agreed to extend the double deduction tax incentive for approved structured internship to companies under the Petroleum Income Tax Act 1967, he added.

“TalentCorp and the Economic Planning Unit will collaborate and coordinate upskilling programmes for graduates to ensure resources are invested according to our priority sectors.

“These programmes are projected to benefit close to 10,000 graduates per year, mainly engineers, and will involve an allocation of about RM200mil per annum across various ministries,” Najib said.

Najib also announced that scholarships to university would from this year be awarded on the basis that scholars meet their bond obligations upon graduation.

“This is by securing employment either with the public sector or an approved private sector company in Malaysia,” he said.

Now, scholars not provided jobs with the public sector are released from their bond obligations.

Under Strategic Thrust Two, TalentCorp would focus on raising the awareness of Malaysians abroad on the employment opportunities in Malaysia through career fairs.

Facilities under REP (Returning Expert Programme), previously driven by applications by individuals, will be made available to Malaysian professionals that companies had headhunted from abroad, he said.

On enhancing expatriate facilitation, he said the resident's pass would be extended to successful entrepreneurs engaged in knowledge-intensive activities.

He said TalentCorp, the Home Ministry and the Immigration Department would collaborate on all expatriate-related policies.

Under Strategic Thrust Three, he said TalentCorp would work on a three-pronged approach building networks of future leaders, developing diaspora network platforms and engaging the expatriate community.

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