Newly appointed Human Resources Minister Steven Sim Chee Keong has unveiled a comprehensive agenda aimed at reshaping the ministry management throughout next year.
The minister’s threefold focus centres on fortifying welfare, enhancing skills and boosting overall workforce productivity, and he has made several important decisions in the first week.
Sim said that the ministry will formulate the country’s inaugural Human Resources Policy as the primary guide in efforts to strengthen welfare, enhance skills, and improve the success of workers.
“It aims to prepare a labour market capable of facing future challenges such as digital technology advancements, an ageing population agenda, a green economy, job mismatch, and the need for decent work.
“These efforts align with the framework of a civilised economy, emphasising the importance of addressing issues in the context of economic development,” he said in a statement.
He also directed the ministry to promptly implement the Progressive Salary Policy pilot project following the presentation of the Progressive Salary White Paper in Parliament.
“The ministry will collaborate closely with the Economy Ministry to ensure the successful implementation of this pilot project and other efforts to reform the country’s labour market.
“This effort aims to enable workers to receive more dignified and fair wages.”
One of the first few decisions Sim made was to instructed HRD Corp not to proceed with the ‘Skills Passport’ project after careful consideration.
He stated that the project has been delayed for over a year, and the ministry has found it no longer suitable for implementation.
“Beginning from this point, the ministry will initiate strategic planning to optimise the functions and efficiency of each department and agency,” he added.
The controversial Skills Passport programme, following allegations that the contract was being pushed through without the necessary board approvals, and its non-compliance with required procurement procedures.
The programme since then came under scrutiny after a Ministry of Finance (MOF) representative who sat on the board of HRD Corp reportedly raised concerns about the project’s non-compliance with procurement procedures, and called for its termination.
Sim also announced that he had appointed trade union activist Chee Yeeh Ceeu as a special officer, in the hope that the appointment would allow closer involvement of workers in policymaking. (Source – The New Straits Times & The Edge Malaysia)
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