January 23, 2026
Local
Local
KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 23 — Two foreign nationals have become the first individuals in Malaysia to be charged in court for littering under the newly enforced anti-littering law, according to a report by The Star.
KUALA LUMPUR, May 19 — Since the centralisation of the intake process under the TVET Intake Unit (UPTVET) early last month, over 106,000 youth nationwide have applied for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) courses.
Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi stated that this number is expected to increase to at least 150,000 by the end of June, highlighting the success of the new approach.
He emphasized that not all youths excel academically, making TVET a valuable and practical alternative that offers promising career prospects.
“If they achieve the Malaysian Skills Certificate (SKM) Level 3 (SKM-3), it is considered equivalent to the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) and can secure a minimum salary of RM2,500. Furthermore, SKM-4 and SKM-5 are comparable to diploma-level qualifications,” he said during the closing ceremony of the Federal Territory-level 2025 National Youth Day celebration held here last night. The event was also attended by Deputy Youth and Sports Minister Adam Adli Abdul Halim.
Ahmad Zahid, who also serves as chairman of the National TVET Council, revealed that six universities are prepared to offer TVET courses: Universiti Kuala Lumpur (UniKL), Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia (UTHM), Universiti Teknikal Malaysia Melaka (UTeM), Universiti Selangor (Unisel), Universiti Malaysia Perlis, and Universiti Malaysia Pahang Al-Sultan Abdullah (UMPSA).
Meanwhile, the Minister of Rural and Regional Development highlighted that, in addition to youth enrolment in these institutions, the government is focused on supporting 1.16 million youths working in the e-hailing, p-hailing, and creative industries.
He noted that many possess talents but lack formal qualifications, which could lead to reduced productivity after the age of 40 if they do not upskill.
“To secure their future, the government offers reskilling and upskilling programmes in TVET fields, enabling them to improve their skills and income. A daily allowance will also be provided to ease financial burdens during training,” he added.
Ahmad Zahid also expressed concern about the high rate of fatal accidents involving youths, pointing out that 90 percent of the 6,000 annual deaths occur in this group, which demands urgent attention.
“If this trend continues, we risk losing a productive segment of our youth workforce. As chairman of the Cabinet Committee on Road Safety, I urge the Malaysian Youth Council (MBM) and state youth councils (MBNs) to organise special motorcycling courses for young riders, focusing on safety and maintenance,” he said.
He also encouraged the development of special programmes targeting youths who are not members of any associations, ensuring no one is left behind in national development efforts.
Furthermore, Ahmad Zahid supported the implementation of several special initiatives for Federal Territory youths, including free e-sports courses at UniKL, TVET programmes in electric vehicle (EV) automotive technology, and green technology-based courses for urban youth. — Bernama
