Malaysia's education should focus on industrial needs – Foreign Chambers

Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad said the international chambers of commerce he engaged in a session on workforce and talent yesterday have suggested that Malaysia's education system should also focus on industrial needs.

The prime minister said they would like to see the country's education system look at the kind of works that people would have to do when they graduate.

"Education cannot be more on arts side but on the industrial side. Of course, the German system is the best system, where one-third of the time is spent in the class and twothirds is at the workplace," he told a press conference after chairing a round-table session with 30 representatives from 20 foreign chambers of commerce on "Empowering Malaysia's Workforce, Nurturing Talent for the Future" here yesterday.

Another issue raised by the foreign community at the roundtable session, which lasted over an hour, was related to immigration where it was felt that talented people should have a longer period of time to be here, he said.

"One also complained that to invest in Malaysia, you must have at least RM1 million and this is a burden to some small industries," he said.

Asked whether the foreign chambers are keen to exchange talents, Dr Mahathir said: "Yes, they are willing to send their talents and we give them time for them to be here. We also like to send our people to study in their countries as well as to work in some of their industrial plants."

Dr Mahathir said the representatives from foreign chambers also welcomed Malaysia's efforts on labour reform.