PM: 25,000 Malaysians will benefit from new Bakat Madani initiative

SEREMBAN, June 29 — A total of 25,000 people are set to benefit from the Bakat Madani initiative launched today, according to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

He said the initiative is a national effort involving government-linked investment companies (GLICs), government-linked companies (GLCs), and Petronas to boost national talent development, focusing on skills development, the creation of quality jobs and improving social mobility.

“The programme provides exposure to about 25,000 individuals. Young people should not forget to thank the corporate bodies that have helped ensure its proper implementation.

“If they do not manage it properly, the programme cannot be carried out as the financing is provided by them, not by me,” he said when officiating the programme, which was also attended by Negeri Sembilan Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Aminuddin Harun.

Also present were Finance Minister II Datuk Seri Amir Hamzah Azizan, Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Shamsul Azri Abu Bakar, ministers, secretaries-general of ministries, as well as leaders of GLICs, GLCs and Petronas.

Meanwhile, Amir Hamzah said the initiative emphasises three main areas: strengthening employability and career placement within the GLIC, GLC and Petronas ecosystem; expanding job placement opportunities across key strategic sectors; and empowering Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions.

“Our task is to connect talent with the opportunities that exist, and that is the primary goal of Bakat Madani.

“Investing in human development also strengthens the nation’s economic base,” he said, adding that improving living standards and economic growth reinforce each other in a virtuous cycle.

He said priority is given to high-value sectors with strong growth potential, including semiconductors, renewable energy, the digital economy and advanced manufacturing.

Amir Hamzah said the government will introduce special tax incentives to firms running training programmes under Bakat Madani, aimed at boosting industry involvement in skills development and quality employment.

“The new incentive is an improvement on existing employability measures, with expanded coverage to TVET graduates and a higher minimum allowance to ensure trainees receive fair and competitive compensation,” he said.

Several talent development programmes are being enhanced under the Bakat Madani initiative, including the transformation of VISTA into Vista i-Plus by Petronas with Malaysian Petroleum Resources Corporation (MPRC) and the Malaysian Oil, Gas & Energy Services Council (MOGSC), creating an integrated TVET training model involving institutions such as MARA Skills Institutes (IKM), National Youth Skills Institutes (IKBN), Advanced Technology Training Centres (ADTEC) and the Malaysian Construction Academy (ABM).

Under the GLIC and GLC ecosystem, Khazanah Nasional Berhad is working with 23 higher education institutions, including Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM), Universiti Teknikal Malaysia Melaka (UTeM) and Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS), to prepare young talent for the workforce through industrial training, technical certification and exposure to industry requirements. — Bernama