TALENT MANAGEMENT

EDUCATION&

The Role Of Private Sector In Malaysian Education

Malaysians One Of The Most Engaged Workers In Asia

CEO Profile• Johan Mahmood

Merican• Dr. Colyn Gardner

Overview Of The Educational Scene In Perak

KDN NO. PP 5124/06/2012 (029800) / VOL.17 Malaysian International Chamber of Commerce and Industry (16841-V)

the business Q3/2014

ADVOCATE"The Premier Advocate for the Business Community"

3

The current Malaysia Education Blueprint [MEB] is open on the role of the private sector but most definitely it is needed if stated objectives are to be met.

• Universal pre-school education for all by 2020 requires half the pre-school seats to be provided by the private sector, so immediate streamlining of the approval and accreditation process is needed.

• Vocational and technical education to help bridge the social divide and build a new generation of skilled workers will only happen if the private sector provides the

schools and the contract services needed.

• ICT expenditure – with 10,000

schools to be connected by 2015,

Much has been done, and progress made-as seen in the rapid advance of international schools in Malaysia. However with a shortage of over 3 million skilled workers, nearly half a million unemployed of whom 20 percent are graduates, there are major challenges to be met. Human capital development at RM 55 billion – 21 percent of the budget shows that the funding is there but now the business community will be looking for the specific plans and guidelines which will enable Malaysia to recover and improve standards of education.

MICCI stands ready to assist the Government in every way in this.

As Malaysia moves towards 2020 and a high value economy the role of education becomes even more critical. For the economy to grow businesses need the right talent to prosper in an ever changing and fast moving world.

President's Message

Simon WhitelawPresident MICCI

the clock is ticking, and clarification on the implementation and funding are urgently needed.

These and other key challenges facing the public and private sectors reflect the primacy and urgency of Education and Talent management.

In this issue, we take a look at the education and talent management sector with a strong focus on Perak as our chosen region. In the last few years, Malaysia has faced strong and consistent challenges such as the ‘Brain Drain’ issue, which makes it a crucial time to take responsibility and make the necessary changes.

There is a tremendous transformation-taking place in education today. At the top level Malaysia is enhancing academic standards to meet international benchmarks, providing Malaysians with some of the highest standards of education. Institutions and businesses are also taking charge and developing programmes via part-time, internship and other job experience

programmes that enable our future workforce to be exposed to the business and industrial sectors. This will need support from the government sector moving towards.

Perak has also seen it’s fair share of progress over the past few years. Today, the Perak Education Department and the Perak Tourism Board are on a campaign supporting and promoting the eco-friendly activities as well as recycling. Perak also has the right recipe with a strong and growing academic and talent management sector. With a bright future ahead, we are confident of Perak’s contribution to Malaysia’s growth.

Here at the cornerstone of our MICCI Business center, we at MICCI are constantly engaging with leading business factions and promoting Malaysia as a key destination for higher education with our 200,000 students from 100 countries expected – Malaysia by 2020.

I do hope you enjoy our issue and the stories we cover. We always welcome feedback, ideas and suggestions on topics of interest from our readers.

President's Message

4 5

Contents

.PUBLISHER Sandeep Juneja Holdings Sdn Bhd, Suite C-07-09, Plaza Mont’ Kiara, No.2 Jln Kiara, Mont’ Kiara, 50480 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.T: +603 6201 9766 F: +603 6201 9767

W: www.sandeepjuneja.com .CREATIVE Sandeep Juneja Agency .EDITORIAL stewart j forbes, sandeep juneja, jude liew, rishab kumar .PRINTER Percetakan Skyline Sdn Bhd (135134-v) No 35 & 37 Jalan 12/32B, TSI Business Industrial Park, Batu 6 1/2 Off Jalan Kepong, 51200 Kuala Lumpur. T: +603 6257 4846 / 1217 F: +603 6257 7525 / 1216 W: www.skylineprintpress.com

It aims to promote, protect and advance free enterprise and in particular the interests of the international investment community. Being the oldest private sector business organisation in Malaysia, it maintains a constant evaluation of the business climate and enjoys an excellent dialogue status with the government .DISCLAIMER All opinions and views expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of MICCI. The publisher shall not be held liable for any error or inaccuracy. No parts of this publication may be reproduced in any form without the publisher’s permission.

.MICCI is an organisation representing the majority of international corporations currently in Malaysia.

CONTACT Malaysian International Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MICCI)

C-8-8, Block C, Plaza Mon’t Kiara 2 Jalan Kiara, Mon’t Kiara50480 Kuala Lumpur

T: +603 6201 7708 F: +603 6201 7705

PRESIDENT'S Message 03Simon Whitelaw

CHAMBER Chatter 06Stewart J.Forbes

COVER Story 08The Complexities Of The Knowledge EconomyAnd Educational Reform

MICCI Features 13-29The Role Of Private Sector In 13 Malaysian Education

The War For Talent Is Over 16And Talent Has Won

5R's Of Talent Management 18

Malaysians One Of The Most 21Engaged Workers In Asia

Mastering The English Needs 22A Targeted Approach

Bridging The Talent Gap 23

A Snapshot Of Contemporary Women 25Participation In Malaysia's Economy

A Workforce For The Future: 28Underpining Learning WithCorporate Social Responsibility And Ethics

Smart Techbologies, Smarter Students: 25Incorporating Technology Into Education

CEO Profile 30-33MICCI Speaks With 30Johan Mahmood Merican

MICCI Chats With 32Dr. Colyn Gardner

MEMBERS News 40-38New Members 34

MICCI News 38-52

Regional Focus 51-58MICCI Talks To Alister Bartholomew 54

Overview Of The Educational Scene In Perak 57

Talent Management In Perak 58

6 7

inspire confidence that the message has got through and that cognitive excellence will ultimately determine the degree to which Malaysia can assume a justified place among developed nations.

MICCI continues to support the drive for higher standards and education excellence as the education system is the nurturing ground for the skilled and knowledgeable workforce that the country will depend on in future. Tomorrow’s political and business leaders are today’s students and graduates. Let us hope that they are up to the intellectual challenges ahead.

But transitioning from high literacy to a knowledge based nation is another level of challenge. The education system that provides the drive forward must now deliver not merely widespread basic education but a system that focuses on cognitive skills, adept communication and enquiring minds with the capacity to innovate and create.

Here, to date, the results coming out of the Malaysian education system have been less than stellar. Overall standards do not compare well with many other Asian

nations. Many young people entering the workplace are unable to integrate into a workplace where often

knowledge and skills

Chamber Chatter

Ultimately however, unless unlimited natural resources abound, development must depend on human capital, that is people, and unless that human capital is also virtually unlimited, it is the quality and skills that will drive progress and success.

Which brings us back to education.

Malaysia has been able to build on an education legacy inherited from its colonial days and develop this to provide educational opportunity for all its citizens resulting in a national adult literacy rate of around 95% or more.

are fleeting and may become obsolete almost as soon as they are learned.

The passion for rote learning and quantitative examination success often hides a fragile intellect that has little depth or dynamic flexibility. Communication skills are particularly lacking whether these be in the form of business language capabilities, competency in expressing new ideas or communication with peers or superiors.

Yet Malaysia must address these deficiencies if the achievement of high income and innovative economy or developed nation status are not to be dead ends. The release of the recent Education Blueprint does not fully

How Will We Rate Tomorrow’s Leaders?

Stewart J. ForbesExecutive DirectorMICCI

ItisdifficulttothinkofanythingmoreimportanttoMalaysia’s future success than developing a world class education system. In the early years of development, a country may be able to grow and prosper through exploitation of its natural resources or subsequently simple assembly line manufacturing.

Business Advocate

8 9

Business Advocate Cover Story

The Complexities Of The Knowledge Economy And Educational Reform

All four have recognised the correlation between education, national development, and economical progress, and from those early initiatives sprung more targeted efforts, such as the establishment of 14 major public colleges and universities from 1962 to 2000. These include the likes of Universiti Malaya, Universiti Sains

Educationreformhasbeenacontinuous,on-goingeffortforthebetterpartofthepast60years.ThefourkeydocumentsthatinfluencedthedevelopmentoftheeducationsysteminMalaysiaaretheRazakStatement(1956),RahmanTalibReport(1960),EducationAct(1961),andNewEconomicPolicy(1971).

Malaysia, and Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, which were instituted to provide tertiary education to even more members of the public and increase the socio-economic opportunities. Support for private universities also saw the creation of educational institutions like Malaysia Multimedia Universiti and Universiti Teknologi Petronas,

amidst several others, between 1996 and 2002. Beyond that, generous government grants and scholarships have enabled academic achievers to further their studies in countries like Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

But 60 years is a long time ago. In view of the demands of tomorrow's

economy, and the importance of a strong foundation in education as the bedrock of a vibrant economy, the government has implemented the Malaysia Education Blueprint 2013-2025 to ensure that Malaysians are imbued with the skills and knowledge to achieve these goals. Education marches

forward in tandem with the economy, and with the dawn of the information age in the early 1990s, the government has implemented educational reforms to keep pace.

"Our education system has been the bedrock of our development. It has provided this generation and those before it with the skills and knowledge that have driven the country’s growth and, with it, our prosperity," said Prime Minister Najib Razak in the Blueprint. "Our country requires a transformation of its entire education system, lifting achievement for all students. Make no mistake; this will require an entirely new perspective, so that students develop skills needed for the 21st century. Rather than simply adding staff and facilities, there is now a need to understand and improve the dynamics of the teaching and learning process," he adds.

The Prime Minster's statement reflects Vision 2020's (Wawasan 2020) promotion of a paradigm shift experienced by an economy is that undergoing a primary to tertiary sector transformation as it becomes a fully-developed nation. To that end, schools are being readied to product 21st century students, and one of the earliest initiatives by the government was the Smart Schools (Sekolah Bestari) in 1997. The purpose of Smart Schools is to: create a

thinking workforce that is literate in technology; democratise education; increase the participation of important groups; develop holistic personal development; and give opportunities for an individual's strengths and abilities.

The organic growth of the programme came to an important juncture in the process of educational reform: the teaching of maths and science in English. Indeed, the issue of language has been a sensitive topic as it is intrinsically linked to the concept of national identity. The Malay language had been used as the medium of instruction in universities and schools since 1983, but the mastery of English was determined as a necessary step to realise national goals. Until today, the contest on this policy shift is still being debated especially since Tamil- and Mandarin-medium schools also exist alongside the Malay-medium ones.

According to researcher and Fellow with the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, Akiko Kamogawa, information communication technology's (ICT) inclusion into the education system had an earlier start in the 1990s, and in the middle of that decade, four important pieces of legislation were introduced: the Education Act of 1995, the 1995 Amendments to the University and University Colleges Act of 1971, the

Private Higher Education Institutions Act of 1996, and the National Council on Higher Education Act of 1996 (NCHEA 1996). Furthermore, the implementation of the Private Higher Education Institutions Act of 1996 had encourage the private sector to increase its involvement in providing tertiary education.

During that time, the Malaysia Multimedia University (MMU) was created to complement the emergence of the Multimedia Super Corridor (MSC), which was a major knowledge economy initiative by the government of Malaysia. Within the university, it focused heavily on information science and information technology, culminating in the development of the Center for Multimedia Education Development in 1997 to further-enhance student's access to critical technology-centric education. According to Kamogawa, University Kebangsaan Malaysia had also pursued something similar through its Knowledge-campus projects that centred on e-learning, intellectual knowledge archiving, global community support services, virtual network for research and development resources, and virtual campus communication network.

But these initiatives are not without their complexities either.

"Many ICT challenges are being met in both public and private

institutions of higher education, and these institutions are offering a variety of ICT-related courses to Malaysian and international students. At the same time, the challenges presented by ICT are having social and cultural implications," says Kamogawa. "First, higher education reforms toward a knowledge society are affecting access and social selection with respect to ethnic and gender equality," he adds. The national mandate of the past had highly-favoured the inclusion of Bumiputeras into the tertiary education system, whereas women were often stereotyped has having no interest in ICT. However, the shift towards more meritocratic ideals has seen the inclusion of more women, many of whom are Bumiputera, into the scientific fields of study in universities. In fact, the percentage of women in tertiary education and the workforce has been rising steadily since the 1970s, and women are making a valuable contribution towards the knowledge economy of today.

Also, the challenges of the knowledge economy cannot be tackled successfully if initiatives like the MSC remain centralised in one location. The success of Malaysia as a knowledge economy necessitates that the MSC applies to large swathes of the country, nationwide, in order for educational excellence to be realised. Only then will we have a truly successful knowledge economy.

10 11

International School of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Established in 1965, the International School of Kuala Lumpur (ISKL) is the first fully accredited international school in Malaysia. ISKL is a private, not for profit, parent-governed school accredited in the United States through the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) and internationally through the Council of International Schools (CIS). Our only business is the education of your children. ISKL provides high quality education for expatriate children residing with their families in Kuala Lumpur and academically qualified Malaysian students. More than 1600 students attend ISKL from more than 60 countries. In view of our diverse student population, our programs have been designed to nurture our students’ appreciation of other cultures. ISKL has adopted curriculum standards and frameworks from the United States because of their unique emphasis on critical reasoning, creative thinking and a whole-child approach. U.S. Curriculum is based on extensive and contemporary research that addresses the needs of 21-century learners. Ensuring success in life beyond

the school is something that the US curriculum values, and the idea of balanced education is very important. The US curriculum encourages involvement in the arts, sports, student leadership as well as a dedicated focus on academic rigor. And our students find themselves well prepared to excel on both the American Advanced Placement exams (AP) as well International Baccalaureate Diploma (IBDP) exams. ISKL was authorized to deliver the International Baccalaureate Diploma (IBDP) program in July 1989. The IB Diploma Program is a tightly woven framework of rich and rigorous courses that is designed to be tailored to the different interests and needs of our students and their families. The addition of the IB Diploma reflects ISKL’s commitment to ensuring that students have all university options, globally, open to them. ISKL carefully selects U.S. Curricular standards that support our Mission of developing “”highly successful, spirited, social responsible global citizens.” Students with an ISKL diploma are well-prepared to attend university not only in the U.S., but in countries around the world, and degrees from U.S. universities are recognized world-wide in every profession conceivable.

12 13

Features

The Role Of Private Sector In Malaysian Education

Businessesareonaconstantlookoutfor‘talent’.Thistalentisreallythebackboneofanycompanybecausewithoutthesethinkersanddoersabusinesscanonlygosofar.ForMalaysia,this‘talent’orhumancapitalhasbeencontradictorily described as one of the reasons for many companies setting-up shop here but also an obstacle as many Malaysianfirmshavedescribedthelackofessentialwork-placedrelatedskills,includingITskillsandEnglishproficiencyas barriers to hiring according to the Malaysia Economic MonitorbytheWorldBankonModernJobsin2012.

by Tamanna Patel, Senior Researcher, Education Unit, Institute for Democracy and Economic Affairs (IDEAS)

So where does that leave us? Presumably, there is a gap between those who have been educated in private institutions locally and overseas and those who have only gone through the public school system. However, the costs of these private institutions make them inaccessible to many Malaysians, with fees ranging from an estimated RM 4,000 per annum for the lower end of private schools to a staggering RM 98,000 per annum for some international schools, well above the median annual household income of RM 43,500 (2012 Household Income Survey). Hence the gap continues to grow, and while those whose parents are able to afford a private education become big fish in a small pond,

those who are not as lucky become small fish in a big ocean.

TrustSchools

The Malaysian Education Blueprint 2013 – 2025 not only promises the public a more equitable and accessible education, but one that is of a higher standard and quality while not burdening the national budget any further. But what can private sector players do to support the endeavour to improve Malaysian education?

The Blueprint outlines 11 shifts, which it envisions will bring forth a transformation to the entire system. Shift 9 makes explicit reference to involvement or partnerships with the private sector to

transform schools via the Trust School model. The current Trust School programme under Yayasan Amir (who outsources to LeapEd Services Sdn Bhd, a company wholly owned by Khazanah), has shown that students benefit greatly from it as they are exposed to new learning techniques, and have shown marked improvements in academic performance and have grown in confidence.

However, the benefit of such a programme to the genuine private sector investor is questionable. The private sector is

expected to do quite a lot to be involved in the Trust School programme; raise funds, set-up a foundation, sign an agreement with the MOE (which is not without it’s own set of challenges), and then use the money raised to transform the school. But once the school is transformed, the operator has to relinquish the school back to the MOE. In short, this is a flawed model in which the private sector is expected to raise money to subsidise government schools and then return them back into the government monopoly.

While the model Trust School that is being used in Malaysia today may be sowing the seeds

Tamanna Patel is Senior Researcher with the Education Unit at IDEAS. She recently authored IDEAS Policy Paper titled, "Malaysian Education: What Do The Poor Really Want?" The paper is based on the results of IDEAS' Giving Voice to the Poor Survey whichlookedattheeducationneedsandaspirationsoflow-incomehouseholds across Malaysia.

14 15

needed to create the talent for businesses tomorrow, the current model is asking too much from the private sector to make it scalable and sustainable.

Other options?

The question of the private sector’s role in education still remains. How can interested private sector players help ensure a more adequate pool of talent to pick from in the future? How can they invest to improve the education system and to help bring out the talent in each student, regardless of socioeconomic background?

In other countries, a growing number of private citizens and

corporations are taking charge and establishing low-cost private schools to provide better and more inclusive educational opportunities.

Here, the Malaysian Islamic Youth Movement (a.k.a ABIM) has been actively involved in providing low-cost private Islamic schools since the 1970’s. They believed that many individuals were lacking the proper religious values and the existing education system was becoming too focused on economic needs and performance of students based solely on grades. While they use the national curriculum, they adopt certain areas to fit their religious requirements.

Business Advocate

ABIM currently runs around 15 schools across the country, an each school has its own board of governors responsible for keeping the schools on track.

More recently, a Filipino conglomerate, the Ayala Corporation, teamed up with the Pearson Affordable Learning Foundation, to open Affordable Private Education Centers in Manila. What is unique about this venture is that it is a low-cost secondary school specifically aimed at equipping their graduates with the knowledge and skills required by potential employers through a unique curriculum. If successful, this could be

a model to replicate in Malaysia, to harness the talent in all students to ensure that they have the skills for employment in the future.

While a country like Malaysia may not have an education system that is as dire as many other developing nations, or poverty levels on par with the likes of India and China, we can certainly benefit from a better education system. The private sector obviously can play a big role in this. The real question is, why does the government seem bent on keeping their monopoly of a system whose quality has been questioned by many?

16 17

Business Advocate

The war for talent might be over, but the need for technical and professional skills has never been higher. The rapid changes of our business environment, as well as the recent technological advances, have created an enormous demand for new and specialised skills. Recently I spoke to a Malaysian client in the Oil & Gas industry, who shared with me that the skills he needs in his organisation, are not readily available in the market. An even bigger problem he said was the duration of the learning cycle. It can take almost 4 years for a young engineer to become an experienced contributor in his organisation, and to grow them to leadership positions can take as long as 10 years. Unfortunately, he is not alone as many organisations are facing similar challenges.

The answer to these challenges is an integrated approach to talent learning and development. All the elements of talent management, including

The term “War for talent” was coined by McKinsey&Companyin1997.Itreferredtothecompetition companies were facing to recruit and retaintalentedemployees.Inhisreport‘Predictionsfor2014’,JoshBersinrightlysaidthat‘thewarfortalent is over and talent has won’.

The War For Talent Is Over And Talent Has Won

by Vincent Bouw

Author: Vincent Bouw, Director and Principal Consultant at C2C Consulting and Training

talent learning and development, need to work as one integrated system. No one learning and development intervention stands alone, they need to be stitched together to address the various talent challenges.

Talent development has always been closely linked with performance management. Looking at the range of performance management systems, one end of the scale can be defined as ‘pull’, using performance development techniques. The other end of the scale can be defined as ‘push’, using measurement techniques. Most companies are still managing for performance through performance measurement (Hay Group, 2006), often with very little added value to the overall performance and productivity of the organisation.

Performance development is mainly done through learning events i.e. training. Research shows that learning events only have a short and limited

impact on performance and productivity. However, when we implement contextualised learning solutions, for example when training is followed up with coaching, performance and productivity increase soars. Research is showing that performance development through contextualised learning solutions, is much more effective in helping people develop skills and competencies, and has the highest business impact (see figure 1: Continuous Learning Model by Bersin by Deloitte, 2013).

All this leads to one conclusion, in order for talent learning

C2C is a diverse, multicultural and virtual high performing team of expert consultants that have in-depth industry experience and the highest standards of delivery. We live our solutions every day. C2C has global delivery capabilitywithofficesinIndia,Singapore,Malaysia,ChinaandtheUSAandanetworkof highly experienced consultants located across several continents.

and development to be effective and add long-term value to your organisation, you need to look at skills gaps today and into the future, and develop contextualised learning solutions to build a capability supply chain now.

18 19

Business Advocate Features

5R’s Of Talent Management

Talent management is nothing new in the business environmentoftoday.Trainingprogrammes,booksandthelikeshavebeencreatedbasedonthisspecificsubject.Itisone of the crucial deciding factors that separate the leading companies from the rest in the business world today. This articlewilllookintohowemployersmanagetheiremployeesthroughtalentmanagement–byfocusingonthefivestagesof talent management.

by Ray Low

1. Recruiting It will not be incorrect

to say that many business entrepreneurs will agree that staff is one of the utmost important assets in the company but is it really true? Not entirely. When the hiring process is not conducted correctly, the hiring manager may end up hiring the wrong people and that could possibly end up as a nightmare for him. Staff or people are not the most important asset but the RIGHT people are.

It is advisable that the hiring personnel should do a thorough screening during the recruiting process lest they only discover that they have hired the wrong kind of persons only when it is too late. With the right kind of staff, the company could fully focus on its growth because it would have the right kind of

people to help steer the company towards the right direction.

2. Retaining Many companies tend

to forget about this particular process after the recruitment has been done. The job does not stop there because recruiting was just the tip of the iceberg while the retaining mechanisms will decide whether the hired staff will remain in or leave the company. Employers have to understand that talents are rare, especially in a sector that needs specialized skill or experience.

Therefore, the right

kind of retaining practices must be put in place or else the indispensable staff may end up leaving the company, when they feel that have not been trained, groomed or given the opportunity to perform more; or

when their suggestions are often not taken into consideration.

Employers need to understand that the employees of today have a different mindset – their perception or expectation towards employment have completely shifted due to the changes that have been occurring in this modern era. So, employers who fail to grasp this fact will be left out in the race eventually.

3. Reassessing A majority of the

companies out there are still lacking in this reassessing process. This might be because reassessing takes up a lot of time and needs lot of justification along the process. However, it is imperative that employers keep an eye on their employees to find out how they feel about their tasks or progress in the company periodically.

Concurrently, the employers will of course also share with their employees what is expected of them. Being informed about the needs of one another and whether they are being served will undoubtedly be useful. Dismissing the process of reassessing the employees, companies will risk pouring their resources in all the wrong places that will lead to nowhere.

4. Reinforcing The reinforcing process

can only be carried out after the reassessing process because the data and feedback collected from the reassessment need to be handled carefully and effectively. Positive data such as whether the employee is responding positively towards their given training, opportunity and such will need to be given reinforcement from time-to-time. This

Intellect Group of IP CompaniesIntellect Group provides intellectual property consulting in areas such as trademark,copyright,patent,industrial design, franchising and licensing.

is to ensure that the employee will be given a message to keep up the good work and continue to contribute more as it will not end here. Such reinforcing messages can continue to ignite the employee’s passion for his job and ensure that the hard work he is putting in will not cease to exist.

But if a negative feedback was given by the employee, the employer needs to understand what has happened and how the situation can be improved. The employer should show the employee that he cares and is willing to make the necessary changes in order to create a sense

of security or a better working arrangement for the employee.

5. Rewarding Many employees

will agree that not all rewards have to be in a monetary form but the satisfaction of achieving something is as rewarding as well. However, many employers will find that if the reward is in a monetary form then it will be more relevant and meaningful because businesses or establishments are set up to make a profit at the end of the day. Tangible and intangible rewards are equally important and if all the five R’s are performed by employers, the results will be greatly

rewarding for them. This stage will serve as a destination point and motivation for both employer and employee that all efforts will ultimately lead to success through a win-win situation.

Both employer and employee need to understand that they need each other and they need to co-exist as a single entity under an organisation where an employer uses the talents of the employee and an employee uses the platform provided by the employer to perform their talents, all in order to achieve a profit in the end. Successful companies or at least the leaders out there understand

Author:Ray Low - Principal Franchise Consultant

that no matter how wonderful your products and services are, it is the people who will deliver them to their customers; hence they still need to depend on the right people to carry out such an important mission and with Talent Management, they can do so with full confidence.

20 21

AboutKellyServices®Kelly Services, Inc. (NASDAQ: KELYA, KELYB) is a leader in providing workforce solutions. Kelly® offers a comprehensive array of outsourcing and consulting services as well as world-class staffing on a temporary, temporary-to-hire, and direct-hire basis. Serving clients around the globe, Kelly provided employment to approximately 540,000 employees in 2013. Revenue in 2013 was $5.4 billion.

Business Advocate

Malaysians One Of The Most EngagedWorkersInAsia

Salaryandbenefitsarestillthemainreasonsforthemtoseeknewworkopportunities.MalaysiansareoneofthemostengagedworkersinAsia,with68%of people questioned saying they were either totally committedorcommittedtotheirjobs,thelatestfindingsfromtheKellyGlobalWorkforceIndexshow.Thiscompareswith63%inSingapore,64%inThailandandHongKong,73%inChinaand80%inIndonesia.

The Kelly Global Workforce index surveyed nearly 230,000 people in 31 countries, including 2,300 in Malaysia.

However, there was also a warning for employers with more than a quarter

of Malaysian workers admitting they feel less loyal than a year ago (28%), coupled with only 13% who feel highly valued by their employers. This means that 61% say they will look to change jobs within the next 12 months.

Features

In terms of why they want to move jobs, 71% of Malaysians questioned say the main reason is the chance of a better salary and benefits. Among Gen Y workers this figure is even higher; with three out of every four people

questioned saying that it would be their driving motivation (77%).

Other factors include management issues (52%), career advancement (47%), and a better work-life balance (45%).

22 23

Business Advocate

drastic overhaul. A 2013 study conducted by the Education Ministry found that only 50 percent of primary school students in Standard 1 mastered basic English literacy. A follow-up study four months later showed that the rate had increased to 63 percent, but still, this was only at the basic level.

The news does not get better as the level of education increases. According to a study by a team from the Politeknik Sultan Azlan Shah (PSAS) in Perak, the problem with the current approach in subject-specific English terminology for education at the tertiary level is lacking, including grammar and lexicons. Thus, this one-

size-fits-all generalised approach may not be the best option to ensure the mastery of English at the tertiary level of education. Rather, English for specific purposes (ESP) is a better approach to mastering this language.

"Concerning students' lack in English Language ... it is found that giving spoken presentations, listening to spoken presentations, reading technical manuals, following lectures and participating in discussions are their main concerns. In terms of training needs, it is found that students are more keen in receiving training in speaking and listening comprehension. "Students expect their English lecturers to

posses a special set of competencies/skills that could provide specifically for their needs as engineering students," said the research team.

Indeed, educational institutions should take heed of what students are looking for and try and discover their needs and wants. It has become an all too-familiar claim that jobless graduates cannot gain entry into their chosen careers because of a poor grasp of English. The secret lies in a strong foundation at the primary school level, and the government is aware of that, having mobilised 65,000 English language teachers to be retrained and prepared for future education challenges.

Tertiary-level students, on the other hand, have expressed an interest in improving their listening comprehension skills. These students have expressed that educational materials should take into account the students' English proficiency so that understanding can be maximised. The understanding of English amongst students can reach a deeper depth if terminology is taught and understood by the students, who can then apply accurate words in the course of their studies, and later, jobs. A concerted approach needs to be taken to arrest the increase in jobless graduates and specific needs need to be addressed in order to achieve this.

Bridging The Talent Gap For the past two years, the unemployment rate in Malaysia hashoveredaboutthe3percentmark.Worldwide,joblessnessisaseriousissueaseconomieshavehadtocontendwithamajorworldwidefinancialcrisisin2008andless-than-savouryeconomic progress in Europe and the United States.

Earlier this year, Deputy Finance Minister Datuk Ahmad Maslan wondered aloud why 3 percent of Malaysians were unemployed when the local economy was flooded with foreign migrants, numbering almost 2.1 million according to official statistics. The Ministry of Higher Education (MOHE) stated that the arts and social

sciences field produced the most number of graduates in 2011 but also had the highest number of unemployed. Poor communication skills, poor English mastery, wrong attitudes about work, and unrealistic expectations contributed towards unemployability. In the sciences, almost 8,000 nurses were unemployed when MOHE released its findings.

To shed light on the issue, a pair of researchers from Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI), Perak, dissected the issue into the areas of graduates' attributes, lecturers' competency, and the quality of education. This macro approach was determined as the best way to understand the unemployment issue amongst graduates, who numbered over 76,000 as late as May

2013. The researchers contextualised their approach to the current socioecoomic atmosphere, which was one of a globalised world with new job vacancies created from month to month, but with few quality candidates to fill them. They found that graduates lacked several key skills, including technical skills, problem-solving skills, and communication skills, especially in the English language. Similar studies have also found deficiencies in graduates that cover management, problem-solving, creativity, critical thinking, proactiveness, and leadership, making them less desirable in the race to employment. Taken as a whole, the problem seems to be that

Features

Interestingly more than half of those polled say working with colleagues from whom they can learn will help influence employment decisions, highlighting the growing importance of peer learning.

Employees also have a clear idea about the environment they want to work in, with flexible working arrangements highly sought after (70%), as is the chance to operate in a highly collaborative environment (63%), or work in a virtual team that uses technology or IT to cross time zones and geographies (59%).

Commenting on the findings,KamalKaranth,ManagingDirector,KellyServicesMalaysiaandIndiasaid:

“It’s clear that more needs to be done by employers to provide an environment that will help toretainstaffinthelongterm.This will become even more critical as the war for talent intensifies.

Whilesalaryandbenefitsare central to an employee’s priorities; advancement and learning from others are all crucialintheirjobdecision,suggesting an ambitious workforcethatiseagertolearnand progress.

Employers and senior management should capitalize on this hunger for improvement because it will makestaffsmarter,betterattheirjobsandlesslikelyto leave, and that can only be good for business.”

There is also a significant shift in how workers use social media and digital platforms to find work and engage with potential employers. In Malaysia, some 60% of candidates said they would be moreinclined to search for jobs via social media than traditional methods, compared with a global average of 36%.More than half of the

Malaysian employees surveyed use their social media network to make career or employment decisions, while 28% say they use digital applications to look for jobs, with online boards being the preferred method (26%).

The complete findings are published in a new report, Engaging Passive and Active Job Seekers. For more information about the Kelly Global Workforce Index and key regional and generational findings, please visit: www.kellyservices.com.my

MasteringEnglishNeedsA Targeted Approach

Englishisspokenbyabout25percentof the world's population, many of whom live in advanced economies.

The adoption of the teaching of science and mathematics in Malaysian schools in 2003 was intended to advance students' appreciation and mastery of this important language, but complexities have hindered the successful implementation of this policy over the past decade. Mastery of English remains poor at all levels of education, and research by Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia on lower secondary school students in Malaysia

found that "the most obvious weaknesses of the students lay in the area of grammar, particularly in the aspects of morphology and syntax". Furthermore, it was found that the morphological and syntactical differences between the Malay language and English has been determined to be the most significant hurdle in acquiring a strong grasp of the language.

Whereas public educational institutions

have used a Malay medium of instruction since the early 1980s, the government has commenced the usage of English for common subjects since the year 2008. Veteran politicians

like Tun Dr Mahathir and Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah have chimed in on the importance of the subject, with the latter even having been quoted as saying that the system has failed and requires a

24 25

A Snapshot Of Contemporary Women Participation In Malaysia's Economy

The gradual increase in the participation of women in the Malaysian economyhascomeaboutslowly,butsurely,from44.7percentin1995to47.3percentin2004,accordingtoUNICEF.Today,thatfigureisatabout46percent.

Features

Access to higher learning, especially in modern sector-related field like information communication technology has improved the participation and profile of women in Malaysia.

Although women are still under represented in the labour force and public

office, girls are more likely to go to university today compared to boys, making up 65 percent of tertiary level students despite women being 49 percent of the general population. More dormitories are being built at various tertiary level institutions to cater for women, and this initiative has encouraged

more women to access tertiary education.However, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia’s (UKM) Centre for Women Leadership director Associate Professor Dr Madeline Berma was quoted as saying that women participation in the workforce peaked after they graduate from university, but dwindles

as women stop working to focus on family. In response to this situation, Talent Corporation rolled out a Career Comeback Campaign to promote the return of women into the workforce. The campaign will introduce women to professional women's networks and increase awareness for full-time and alternative flexible

graduates are unable to measure up to the needs of a globalised world in which the knowledge economy (k-economy) is booming, even with the necessary academic qualifications.

Shifting the spotlight to the local curricula, it was found that most graduates needed further training above and beyond their academic syllabi in order to meet the needs of contemporary job vacancies. The local curricula was found to ill-prepare graduates with critical skills like English language, ICT, communication, and entrepreneurial skills. Researchers found that students within the local education industry were not being given

a satisfactory level of service with a poor structure of teaching, classroom climate and leadership found at these educational institutions.

The lecturer's responsibility in the classroom is to mould a successful graduate that can blend soft skills and academic success together, and successful educational institutions directly rely on the efficacy of each teacher. Surely, there are no successful schools with poor teachers. The UPSI duo found that "the majority of respondents agreed that the competency of a lecturer, especially in the process teaching and learning, greatly influences the achievement of a graduate and that lecturers at the higher educational

institutions should be given intensive training and consistent courses in order to increase their skills or competencies in line with the current technology and new information". The lack of quality educators has directly led to a compromise in the quality of education, and this is one of the reasons for the talent gap in Malaysia.

The study also cites the fact that "the quality of education, especially at the higher educational institutions, becomes a major factor to the unemployment problem among Malaysian graduates" and quoted then Deputy Minister of Human Resources, Abdul Rahman Bakar, in saying that "the main factor to the unemployment

problem among graduates is the failure to ensure educational syllabus or curriculum consistent with the matters required in the job market". As a result, graduates are entering the job market not properly equipped, and are unable to apply the little they have learned to make the cut. Thus, employers in various industries are calling for a serious revamp in the education system to conclusively address the talent gap crisis. Such a revamp would restructure the domestic education system, produce graduates of better quality, and hence increase their marketability and effectiveness in making Malaysia a high-income nation.

Business Advocate

26 27

Business Advocate Features

work arrangements to give women better work-family balance.

A recent effort by the government to improve the amount of women in decision-making roles from 24 to 30 percent by 2016 will enable more women to access managerial or c-suite positions. This Women in Leadership programme will help participants develop their own leadership styles through a combination of workshops and learning through both peers and individual mentors.Furthermore, studies by UKM has shown information on the participation of women with disabilities is lacking. About 10 years ago, only about 5.24 percent of people with disabilities were employed, with fewer women than men -- an unfortunate situation, as employment opportunities for women with disabilities who are

in more marginalised groups such as low-income, poorly-education, and social welfare-dependent groups in rural areas especially need employment. "Employment means social equality and social freedom," says Faridah Serajul Haq, who is from UKM's Faculty of Education.

Also, a decade ago, 77.5 percent of women were paid employees, 11.7 percent were self-employed, and 9.6 percent were unpaid family workers — and only 1.2 percent of women were identified as employers. Malaysian women have played a very important role in our economic development and they have contributed towards stabilising the economy in periods of recession. Thus, the Malaysian government has taken a keen interest to assist and build up female entrepreneurs throughout the country.

However, women in entrepreneurial jobs remain low but the emergence of recent initiatives, like the Get Malaysian Business Online (GMBO) programme allocated under the Budget 2013, assists women regardless of the fact that they are currently employed or unemployed.

"It is open to entrepreneurs willing to work full-time or part-time. To qualify a business can already exist or live only in the idea stage. All that is needed is that the entrepreneur has the desire to expand or create her business using online tools," reports the Women Entrepreneur Network.Things look promising for women with entrepreneurial ambitions as women participation in small businesses has increased tremendously because the opportunities for today's

women in this area are far better than in the past. Today, many government agencies are offering assistance to women entrepreneurs through programmes such as SME Corp Malaysia's Skills Upgrading Programme, MATRADE's Women Exporters Development Programme (WEDP), the National Entrepreneurship Institute's (INSKEN) Entrepreneur training course, the Women Development Department under the Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development, Amanah Ikhtiar Malaysia's (AIM) Program Kewangan Mikro Bandar, and GIATMARA's Program Pembentukan Usahawan.

Collectively, these small and medium enterprises run by women are improving the livelihoods of entire families, communities, and regional economies.

28 29

Business Advocate

AWorkforceForTheFuture:Underpinning Learning With Corporate Social Responsibility And Ethics

SheffieldUniversityManagementSchoolispartoftheUniversityofSheffield.Itisoneofjust58businessschoolsaroundtheglobetobe awarded the coveted Triple Crown – international recognition of its contribution to the study and practice of management from the world’s three most prestigious accreditation agencies.

Sheffield University Management School is at a key stage in its evolution. Our programmes continue to send high-achieving graduates into successful careers all over the world. The school’s research calibre is strong and has gained international recognition.

However, what is most important to us is that our graduates have ethics and socially responsible work practices embedded in their education at the earliest possible stage.

Much of the Management School’s research falls under an overarching theme of sustainable and socially responsible work practices and processes. This focus allows us to concentrate on projects which really are going to make a difference to society, organisations and individuals. As our research feeds directly

into students’ learning, we believe that we’re creating a workforce of the future – astute and responsible, aware of sustainable issues and globally-relevant ethical topics in management studies. We underpin this by building it into their education.

To understand the relevance and effects of corporations – we are asking, ‘what is the role of the firm’? Much of the debate surrounding this issue is being conducted under the concepts of corporate social responsibility and corporate citizenship. The emergence of these concepts and the implementation of strategies to improve the socially responsible practices of companies represent a development in the ongoing debates surrounding the role of business in modern society.

Supporters suggest we are witnessing the emergence of a new breed of Corporate

relevant and he now has the responsibility of raising awareness of the global climate crisis to stakeholders.

Meanwhile, research from Dr Jon Burchell’s joint project shows that a workforce’s volunteering activities can be both good for a company’s finances, as well as the local community. He said that while the corporate social responsibility agenda encourages employer sponsored volunteering, the area remains under-researched, with little understanding of employees’ experiences of volunteering, the tools required for understanding the impact of volunteering on companies and local communities, and the barriers and constraints to creating effective business-community partnerships. His studies address many of these issues and present findings on employer sponsored volunteering and the brokering of relationships between businesses and the third sector.

Our award-winning teaching staff are specialists in their disciplines and due to an active, multidisciplinary research environment, students are taught by world-leading thinkers passing on the most innovative knowledge in that field. We are dedicated to providing a combination of real-world work experience, academic and research expertise with a commitment to teaching excellence in corporate social responsibility, ethicality and wider management issues.

Citizen as companies seek greater interaction with civil society, and look to adopt more ethical business strategies and engagement about their practices. Next generation of corporate citizens should be aware of the key issues and themes that are emerging within the corporate social responsibility field. Examining the pressures encouraging companies to adopt more ethical business strategies, the types of practices and strategies which different companies have sought to adopt in this field, and the potential advantages that are identified for a socially responsible business.The Sheffield Academic, whose research feeds directing into the School’s teaching, is in pursuit of research excellence. The School has created a resilient and sustainable research environment, which has led to some high-profile academic successes.

For example, Dr Alok Choudhary has been appointed as an International Climate Leader by ex-vice president and Nobel Prize winner Al Gore, all on account of his green expertise and sustainable credentials. As programme leader of the School’s MSc Logistics and Supply Chain Management, his research is extremely

Features

Smart Technologies, Smarter Students: Incorporating Technology Into Education

Recently, the Prime Minister said, in the recent launching of the Pekan Community College, that Malaysians needed to be prepared to take up new vocations which are yet to be created, as the world rapidly changes with technology.

The Malaysian educational system is also changing, along with the digital world, and infusing technology into the learning process to keep up with the technological drive. Already there are Smart schools, an initiative under the Educational Blueprint, which is a fine example of a school in which ICT trumps ‘old school’ teaching methods. These schools have reinvented teaching-learning practices by including ICT tools. One of the main goals of the school is to produce a technologically literate work force – which is very much necessary in the dawn of the technological era. Here, students learn digitally and laptops, projectors and the like are common amenities to be found in classrooms.

Further, white boards, which replaced chalk boards, are now themselves

being replaced by smart boards. This is an interactive learning board which not only engages students effectively, but also makes the jobs of teachers much more simple. These boards can connect to, and project, websites and other internet media while some boards come with or can be loaded with digital content that is suited to a particular educational syllabus. Apart from functioning as a conventional board, these smart boards can be imprinted on digitally by students or teachers alike.

However, we all know that learning neither begins, nor ends, in the classroom. This life-long process happens best outside restrictive walls, and now education can reach anyone even outside the traditional classroom setting; as learning has even pervaded cyberspace. Whole graduate degree courses are now available online, and one only requires a computer with internet connection to attain a degree. Online classes can be ‘attended’ at the student’s most convenient timing and questions to the lecturer are submitted, and answered, via email. Oversea and international

institutes have already taken advantage of these systems and have also made it possible for Malaysians to obtain such qualifications in the comfort of their own dining room.Effective teachers are also jumping on the bandwagon after realising how much time their students spend online, especially on social networking sites. Hence, project work is also disseminated and discussed via such platforms - making the material much more accessible to many. More over, the ability to modify work on the go and collectively without having everyone at the same place and time is a major bonus for those who have other responsibilities to attend to.

The National Broadband Initiative also aided in the progress of education. The

plan, which subsidised the purchase of smartphones, put knowledge literally at the fingertips of many. In a culture where there is an “app for that”, educational applications have been developed and distributed to many. Now Pythagoras' Theorem can easily be figured out through interactive and interesting methods. Not forgetting of course, the Internet, which can now fit into your pocket and be made available whenever information is needed.

The only constant is change itself, the saying goes, and if we do not move along with the revolution we will be left behind, inevitably. Thus it is time to embrace the technological methods in educating and move forward to become a more advanced nation.

Theadvancementoftechnologyhasbroughtaboutaparadigmaticshiftinmanyindustries,andschoolsarenowlookingintocreatingsmartclassroomstosparkabrightergenerationofpupils.

30 31

MICCISpeaksWithJohan Mahmood Merican

ChiefExecutiveOfficerofTalentCorporationMalaysiaBerhad(TalentCorp).

1 Establishedin2011,TalentCorpisfairlynewand

initiative driven. What are the main functions and services provided by your organisation?

TalentCorp was established to address the talent needs of Malaysia’s economic transformation through collaborations between Government and private sector. The collaborations with employers target 3 talent pools, namely - Engaging Malaysians

abroad,- Facilitating foreign

expatriate talent, and- Optimising on Malaysian

talent in Malaysia (focusing on Graduate Employability and Women in the Workforce)

In terms of engaging with Malaysians abroad,

TalentCorp works with leading employers to raise awareness of professional opportunities back home and to facilitate return of Malaysians. Awareness and engagement are undertaken through career fairs abroad targeted at Malaysian students and through professional outreach targeting key sectors like Oil & Gas, Finance and Healthcare, in key geographies like UK, Middle East and USA. In addition, the Returning Expert Programme (REP) provides incentives to help employers attract back Malaysian experts with relevant experience.

Towards better facilitating foreign talent, TalentCorp has collaborated with the Ministry of Home Affairs to establish the Expatriate Services

Division at Immigration Department. TalentCorp also administers the Residence Pass – Talent (RP-T), a 10 year pass, to enable the retention of foreign talent with critical skills.

To optimise on young Malaysian talent, TalentCorp partners employers to raise awareness, provide industry exposure and enhance employability of graduates. Key TalentCorp initiatives include the Structured Internship Programme (SIP), which provides tax incentives to companies providing internships with good exposure, and the Graduate Employability Management Scheme (GEMS), which is a co-funded programme between Government and employers to train graduates for greater employability.

2 What was the inspiration and passionthatlead

totheestablishmentofTalentCorp?

The inspiration for TalentCorp was from YAB Prime Minister Dato Sri Najib Razak, who announced the establishment of TalentCorp in his 10th Malaysia Plan speech in 2010. Talent was recognised as a critical success factor to sustain the growth and investments for the Prime Minister’s national transformation agenda. This passion for talent is reflected in the Prime Minister’s personal commitment in being the Chairman of TalentCorp since its inception.

Towards realising the Prime Minister’s inspiration, TalentCorp is committed to work in partnership with employers to enhance the availability of talent, particularly in the short and medium term to support the success of the economic transformation.

3 With the current progression of the ‘Brain

Drain’inMalaysia,howdoesTalentCorplooktoimproveworkingconditionsinthelongrun?

The World Bank Malaysian Economic Monitor April 2011 on ‘Brain Drain’ notes that whilst Malaysia has a relatively high brain drain intensity, Malaysia has so far been spared the detrimental type of brain drain, as there has not been a reduction in the stock of skilled labour force. Notwithstanding that, Malaysia cannot be complacent, as it would need to attract, develop and retain more talent, growing the stock of skilled labour, in order to become a developed nation.

Factors which contribute towards labour migration include higher income, greater opportunities and better living environment. The Government has therefore embarked on a comprehensive national transformation agenda to better attract and retain talent. First, the New Economic Model, which includes competition law and labour law reforms, is geared towards a more competitive

JohanMahmoodMericanwasappointedtheChiefExecutiveOfficerofTalentCorporationMalaysiaBerhad(TalentCorp)sinceitsestablishment on 1 January 2011. With Malaysia’s wealth of talent andabundanceofopportunities,Johanisconfidentthatthroughthepublicandprivatesectorsworkingcloselytogether,wecanaddressthe talent needs of our economic transformation.

CEO Profile

economy and higher income for Malaysians. Second, the Economic Transformation Programme, focused on priority sectors drives greater professional opportunities – this is already apparent with an increasing number of Malaysian companies emerging as regional champions (such as in banking) and with more multinationals establishing regional businesses in Malaysia (such as in regional shared services centres). Third, the Government Transformation Programme prioritises key areas of liveability to improve such as education, crime and public transportation.

All in all, the Government’s transformation agenda is geared towards making Malaysia a country to ‘live, work and play’. TalentCorp’s initiatives complement these longer term structural reform by catalysing greater talent availability in the shorter term.

4 Education needs to be the driving force for

change.Whatroledoeseducationplayhereandhow can we improve ouracademicvalue?

Education and human capital development is consistently the largest portion of the Government’s annual allocation. It accounted for 21% or RM 54.6 billion of the 2014 Budget. However, there is rising concern that outcomes need to be improved particularly in preparing the future pipeline of talent for the economy. At a time when companies lament the lack of talent, youth unemployment (aged 15 – 24) rate is relatively high

at more than 10% (2012) and accounts for 60% of all unemployed in Malaysia.

The need is therefore greater than ever to ensure that the education system produces industry relevant graduates and school leavers. Towards this, the largest part of TalentCorp’s resources is spent towards graduate employability programmes, focused on enhancing greater industry academia collaboration. Going forward, greater collaboration with industry in schools and universities before graduation will further enhance the relevance and value of education.

5 IsTalentCorpcurrentlyengaged in any

noteworthy initiatives? WhatnewgoalswillTalentCorpwanttoundertakethroughfuture initiatives?

In terms of headline achievements for 2013, - Structured Internship

Programme : > 10,000 undergraduates from local universities placed,

- Graduate Employability & Upskilling : > 6,000 graduates from local universities trained & placed,

- Scholarship Talent Attraction & Retention : > 400 JPA scholars placed in leading private sector employers,

- Returning Expert Programme (REP) : 900 experienced Malaysians working abroad approved REP incentives, and

- Residence Pass Talent (RP-T) : 848 top expatriates approved with 10 year pass

For 2014, we aim to continue to scale up, both in terms of quantity and quality of our outcomes for our above programmes. In addition, TalentCorp is stepping up its engagement on career awareness through a combination of physical career fairs at universities combined with online engagement, through our employability portal, Ready4work.my. We will continue to enhance our graduate employability programmes through greater coverage of priority sectors and increasing programmes undertaken prior to graduation.

To promote greater participation of women in the workforce, TalentCorp had launched its flexworklife.my initiative to promote greater adoption of flexible work arrangements by Malaysian employers to better attract and retain women at work.

In engaging Malaysians abroad, TalentCorp is widening its partnership with employers to attract back Malaysian professionals in addition to establishing a Global Malaysian Network to promote contributions by experts from abroad. Towards greater facilitation of expatriates, TalentCorp and Immigration Department will roll out the Expatriate Services Department services to cover more sectors.

6 What steps and effortsdoweneedtotaketoincrease

the number of woman inourworkforce?

Malaysia has the lowest female labour participation rate (FLPR) in the region at a level of 49.5% in 2012 (which

means that just under half of women of working age are in employment). On the positive side, FLPR increased to 52.4% in 2013 putting Malaysia on track to achieve its policy target of 55% FLPR by 2015. This progress is testimony to the various policy initiatives and tax measures introduced by the Government. However, a critical success factor is wider adoption by Malaysian employers to adopt more progressive and family friendly human resources policies.

Malaysian employers need to respond to the changing demographics (where enrolment of public universities is already two thirds women), hence the importance to being able to cater for and retain women talent. Further, there is also the business case of promoting greater diversity at all levels of an organisation, for higher performance especially for a more innovation led economy.

Towards this, TalentCorp’s flexworklife.my initiative focuses on facilitating and easing the implementation of flexible work arrangements by Malaysian employers. This portal provides best practices and practical guides to implementation. Companies should also go to the portal for tax incentives linked to adoption of flexible work arrangements and bringing women back after a career break. TalentCorp are also providing resources to pilot new programmes at leading employers towards catalysing wider adoption of flexible work arrangements by Malaysian companies.

Business Advocate

32 33

Business Advocate CEO Profile

student base is growing so strongly year on year.

3 As one of the mostsuccessfuluniversities

inMalaysia,whatattributes,inyouropinion,makesSunwaystudents competitive over other universities?

We have a reputation for attracting high quality students who go on to obtaining good degree results and this feeds through into positive employability rates. Our students are academically strong, but they are also well rounded. We believe firmly in giving our students the opportunity to develop their creativity and to think outside the box. We encourage volunteering and we have a rapidly developing

and became the leading company of its kind in the world. The DC Gardner business is now owned by Euromoney and continues to train bankers around the world. In recent years I have returned to my academic roots and am now the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Enterprise) and Dean of the Sunway University Business School.

2 Practicaltraining is anessential

opportunity for students to put theory into practice. What initiativesareavailablefor students who want some job exposure?

Against this background, it is easy to see my commitment to making our degree courses as practical and relevant as possible. I am a great believer in case studies based on actual events and transactions, and also making these as up-to-date as possible too. At Sunway University, we have a very strong commitment to obtaining internships for our students. Each Faculty has its own programme for internships and our Student Services Department is also very active and successful in helping students get relevant work experience. This is a definite factor in explaining why our

MICCI Chats With Dr. Colyn Gardner

1 Canyoutellusalittleaboutyoureducational

andprofessionalbackground?

My business career has been a journey through the banking and finance industry, both as a practising banker and as a specialist educator of banks on a global basis. Following an undergraduate degree, I studied for the professional banking exams that were an essential career development step then. As we have seen in recent years with the global financial crisis, this may become the case again in the future, in order to ensure that banks are run by individuals who are professionally trained. I will return to this a little later.

After some 4 years as a graduate trainee/ junior bank officer, I returned to University to take a Master’s in Financial Economics and subsequently a PhD in Corporate Finance. My thesis was on developing a behavioural risk analysis tool for international banking capital investment decisions. After a number of years as an investment banker with a US bank, I set up a banking training consultancy which successfully floated on the UK stock market

social enterprise unit where students are encouraged to think about developing sustainable and interesting business opportunities. Our Centre for Industry Linkages and the Enterprise Office all form part of a culture of business ready graduates working to enhance the Malaysian Economy in a sustainable way.

4 The rapid evolutionofeducational

technologiescancreateboth opportunities andchallengesforeducationalinstitutions. How has Sunway managed to adapt to these changes?

The world of Higher Education is certainly changing. The emergence of technology led

educational tools which appeal to the Gen Y students has to be embraced and we have a very clearly defined attitude to these developments. We remain mindful, however, of the very important role of human contact within the education world. There will always be a place for inspirational teachers and modern online tools allow for such professors to reach out to students in different countries and across time zones. But, nothing can beat being in the same room as such individuals and being able to interface personally with leading experts. At Sunway University, we are constantly alive to new teaching delivery systems, but we don’t

expect any time soon to be fading out our classroom lectures. Enhancing our delivery capability with new technologies for sure, but recognising always the importance of the human experience too.

5 What is your overallvisionforSunway University

in the years to come?

The vision of Sunway University in the years to come has been truly defined by our Founder and Chancellor Tan Sri Dato’ Sri Dr Jeffrey Cheah, AO. His vision is for Sunway University to become the Harvard of the East, by which he means a long term commitment and dedication to excellence

and quality in both teaching and research. The significant financial investment made to this collaborative arrange-ment will see the mutual exchange of students and scholars within the next few months. This is a testament to his commitment as well as the seriousness of purpose of this vision. Developments such as the Jeffrey Cheah Institute on Southeast Asia and the Jeffrey Cheah Chair at Harvard further underpin this vision and ambition for the University.

6 Inwhatareasdo you see the education

systeminMalaysiaimproving?

There is no doubt that for Malaysia to achieve its objective of becoming a knowledge based economy in the coming years, there is a need for a huge commitment to improving and expanding quality Higher Education Institutions. The shortage of skilled talent is prevalent in most sectors of the economy and Universities have a major role to play in closing this gap. There is a clear recognition of this and I am optimistic that our University along with others, will play an important role in helping Malaysia achieve its economic development ambitions.

Dean - Business School, Sunway University

34 35

Business Advocate

MICCI Welcomes Its NewMembers...

Company: AGILITY LOGISTICS SDN BHDName: Morten DamgaardDesignation: Chief Executive Officer – South East AsiaAddress: No. 2, Block B, Jalan Bumbung U8/90 Seksyen U8, Perindustrian Bukit Jelutong 40150 Shah Alam, SelangorTel/Fax: 03-7841 8888 / 03-7842 3296Business Sector: Port/Logistics

Company: AQINA HOLDINGS SDN BHDName: Wesley Tan Seah GingDesignation: DirectorAddress: No. 92A Jalan Utama 3 Taman Utama, Pekan Nanas 81500 Pontian, JohorTel/Fax: 07-699 3344 / 07-699 3587Business Sector: Agriculture/Plantations

Company: ASPEN VISION DEVELOPMENT SDN BHDName: Dato' Murly ManokharanDesignation: Group CEOAddress: 17 Green Mansion, Jalan Birch 10250 Green Town, PenangTel/Fax: 04-227 5000 / 04-227 5005Business Sector: Property/Real Estate

Company: BIOCON SDN BHDName: Srinivasan RamanDesignation: Vice President & Head of Malaysia OperationsAddress: No 1 Jalan Bioteknologi 1 Kawasan Perindustrian SILC 79200 Nusajaya, JohorTel/Fax: 07-560 0000 / 07-560 0050Business Sector: Pharmaceutical/Medical

Company: C2C CONSULTING & TRAINING (SGP) PTE LTDName: Vincent BouwDesignation: DirectorAddress: Level 15, 1st Avenue 2A Dataran Bandar Utama Damansara 47800 Petaling JayaTel/Fax: 03-7651 7917 / 03-7651 7701Business Sector: Consultancy/Business Services

Company: CASA UNIQUE TRADING LTDName: Kamran NiknamianDesignation: Chief Executive OfficerAddress: Level 8, Pavilion KL 168 Jalan Bukit Bintang 55100 Kuala LumpurTel/Fax: 03-9205 8550 / 03-9205 7788Business Sector: Trading/(Import/Export)

Company: COLLABRO (ASIA PACIFIC) SDN BHDName: Tom William KennedyDesignation: Group Chief ExecutiveAddress: B3A-4 Megan Avenue 1 No. 189 Jalan Tun Razak 50400 Kuala LumpurTel/Fax: 03-2166 2233 / 03-2034 9568Business Sector: Oil/Gas/Petrochemicals

Company: E&O RESIDENCES KUALA LUMPURName: Tan Theam LooDesignation: General ManagerAddress: No. 1 Jalan Tengah Off Jalan Sultan Ismail 50450 Kuala LumpurTel/Fax: 03-2023 2188 / 03-2023 2199Business Sector: Hotels/Tourism

Company: DONGWHA FIBREBOARD SDN BHDName: Chae Kwang ByeongDesignation: General ManagerAddress: Lot 833 Mukim Padang Meha Padang Meha, 09400 Kulim KedahTel/Fax: 04-402 2110 / 04-402 2201Business Sector: Rubber/Wood Products

Company: FELDA IFFCO SDN BHDName: J. Rasamy ManikkamDesignation: Regional Managing DirectorAddress: Lot 596 Lebuh Raja Lumu Pandamaran Industrial Estate P O Box 204 42009 Port Klang, SelangorTel/Fax: 0-3168 7788 / 03-3168 2615Business Sector: Food/Beverages

Company: GAMLITE IT (M) SDN BHDName: Daphne FuDesignation: Admin. Accounts & Finance ManagerAddress: Lot 24 Taman Sri Kulombong Jalan Kolombong, Inanam 88450 Kota Kinabalu, SabahTel/Fax: 088-382 290 / 088-380 290Business Sector: ICT/Communications

Company: GERARD & ASSOCIATES SDN BHDName: Gerard R. SankerDesignation: Principle Associate / DirectorAddress: Unit 22-06A, Level 22, Menara Landmark No. 12 Jalan Ngee Heng 80000 Johor Bahru, JohorTel/Fax: 07-222 9919 / 07-222 0919Business Sector: Consultancy/Business Services

Company: HATTEN GROUP SDN BHDName: Edwin Tan Ping HuangDesignation: Group Chief Executive DirectorAddress: F3-96 Hatten Square, Jalan Merdeka Bandar Hilir, 75000 MelakaTel/Fax: 06-282 1828 / 06-283 1827Business Sector: Property/Real Estate

Members News

36 37

Members News

Company: JAM COMMERCE SDN BHDName: Mary Anne LowDesignation: CEOAddress: No. 13 Jalan TU 51A Taman Perindustrian Tasik Utama Taman Tasik Utama, 75450 Ayer Keroh MelakaTel/Fax: 06-253 2750 / 06-253 2752Business Sector: Retail/Wholesale

Company: KELLY SERVICES (MALAYSIA) SDN BHDName: Kamal Karanth Designation: Managing Director – Malaysia & IndiaAddress: Level 29, Menara Bank Islam No. 22 Jalan Perak, 50450 Kuala LumpurTel/Fax: 03-2203 0887 / 03-2203 0909Business Sector: Consultancy/Business Services

Company: KHENG HOE & PARTNERSName: Chan Kheng HoeDesignation: Managing PartnerAddress: D2-1-8, Solaris Dutamas 1 Jalan Dutamas 1 50480 Kuala LumpurTel/Fax: 03-6205 3928 / 03-6205 4928Business Sector: Legal

Company: JBDEAL SDN BHDName: Tan Mei FungDesignation: DirectorAddress: 8 Jalan Austin Height 1/25 Taman Mount Austin 81100 Johor Bahru, JohorTel/Fax: 07-350 0623 / 07-350 0623Business Sector: Food/Beverages

Company: LATEXX MANUFACTURING SDN BHD Name: Dr Liew Lai LaiDesignation: Senior Director of Finance & Corporate ServicesAddress: Lot 18374 Jalan Perusahaan 3 Kamunting Industrial Estate, PO Box 9 34600 Kamunting, Taiping PerakTel/Fax: 05-829 5555 / 05-829 5590Business Sector: Rubber/Wood Products

Company: HOLISTISCH GROUPName: Bennett LeeDesignation: Chief Executive OfficerAddress: Suite B 07-03 Gateway Kiaramas 1 Jalan Desa Kiara 57480 Kuala LumpurTel/Fax: 03-8948 3350 / 03-8948 5350Business Sector: Consultancy/Business Services

Business Advocate

Company: MALAYSIAN EXPORT ACADEMY SDN BHDName: Dr Abdul Kabur IbrahimDesignation: Chief Executive OfficerAddress: 506 Block A, Glomac Business Centre Jalan SS 6/3, Kelana Jaya 47301 Petaling Jaya, SelangorTel/Fax: 03-7880 0413 / 03-7880 2817Business Sector: Education/Training

Company: MAPLEDENE INTERNATIONAL SDN BHDName: Kevin Lee Lean ChyeDesignation: ChairmanAddress: 35 Cantonment Road 10350 PenangTel/Fax: 04-227 9899 / 04-227 9899Business Sector: Property/Real Estate

Company: P1 INTERNATIONAL SDN BHDName: Vic SuppiahDesignation: DirectorAddress: 2nd Floor, Wisma TLT No. 51 Jalan Ipoh 51200 Kuala LumpurTel/Fax: 03-4042 0557 / 03-4044 0559Business Sector: Accountancy/Financial

Company: SAPURA KENCANA ENERGY SARAWAK INCName: Kevin RobinsonDesignation: VP AsiaAddress: Level 53, Tower 2, PETRONAS Twin Towers Kuala Lumpur City Centre 50088 Kuala LumpurTel/Fax: Oil/Gas/PetrochemicalsBusiness Sector: ICT/Communications

Company: LOGISTICS CONSULTING (ASIA) SDN BHDName: Ng Li WahDesignation: CEOAddress: 2-13A, One Avenue Dataran Pelangi Utama PJU 6A Jalan Masjid 47400 Petaling Jaya, SelangorTel/Fax: 03-7729 9386 / 03-7729 7386Business Sector: Consultancy/Business Services

Company: SIEW LEE & COName: Loh Siew LeeDesignation: Managing PartnerAddress: No. 1 Bougainvillea B/3 Seri Bougainvillea, Bandar Seri Botani 31650 Ipoh, PerakTel/Fax: 05-312 3008 / 05-312 0000Business Sector: Legal

Company: ZAID IBRAHIM & COName: Lim Kar HanDesignation: Senior PartnerAddress: Level 19, Menara Milenium Pusat Bandar Damansara 50490 Kuala LumpurTel/Fax: 03-2087 9999 / 03-2094 4888Business Sector: Legal

38 39

Business Advocate

Barkath CoRo Manufacturing Sdn Bhd is a joint venture between CoRo Foods Denmark and Kumpulan Barkath Sdn Bhd. They have had a long relationship with over a quarter century of history together. As Sunquick has become more popular with Malaysians, Barkath CoRo Manufacturing Sdn Bhd has had to expand its factory to meet current demands for Sunquick concentrates.

On 8 April 2014 Barkath CoRo Manufacturing Sdn Bhd had its official opening of its new Phase 1 Building. The Chief Minister of Penang, YAB Lim Guan Eng, the Ambassador of Denmark, HE Nicolai Ruge, the President of CoRo Food Denmark, Ole Jorgensen, the CEO of Kumpulan Barkath Sdn Bhd, Dato' Seri Barkath Ali bin Abu Backer, Members of Penang

TheOfficialOpeningofBarkathCo-Ro Manufacturing Sdn Bhd

State Exco and Members of CoRo Foods Denmark were among the 150 guests at this auspicious occasion.

In his opening address, Dato' Seri Barkath Ali, expounded on his late father's foresight to forge a union with CoRo Foods Denmark to distribute Sunquick concentrates. Today Barkath CoRo's manufacturing empire comprises 12 lines with diversified flavours, with their flagship flavour of Sunquick Orange. They are now a prominent market leader with 44% of the market share in Malaysia. The new modern state of the art factory will produce 5 times more than the old factory and is fully automated. 4 hopes to better its previous accolades of awards including:-− National Productivity

Award in 1993, as the

factory with the highest productivity in growth in Malaysia

− The Enterprise 50 award in 2006 as the 27th best managed factory in Malaysia

− The Europe Trade Award in 2007 for highest excellence in Malaysia

− The FMM Excellence Award in 2013 as the Manufacturer of the year.

The factory is also ISO 9001 2008, HACCP and halal certified.

When the formality of speeches were concluded,

the factory was declared opened by the Right Honourable Chief Minister of Penang and HE the Ambassador of Denmark to Malaysia and dignitaries present. All were then invited for a tour of the factory and its impressive automation process.

The Chief Minister was asked to plant a gaharu tree to commemorate the occasion. All guests were given a gift pack of 4 different flavours of Sunquick and recipes that use Sunquick as tokens for their attendance.

Kamal Karanth Heads Kelly M'sia

Kamal Karanth now leads Kelly Malaysia with a combined experience of 20 years including 13 years in the staffing

industry with rich international exposure.Kamal joined Kelly as Managing Director of Kelly India in 2009; his know how of Recruitment and Healthcare Industry in Sales and Profit Center Management across APAC brought him to Kelly. Kamal executed Kelly’s repositioning strategy in India and grew the Professionals Business before starting his Malaysian stint with

Kelly in May 2014.Prior to Kelly, Kamal looked after multiple sectors and roles in Randstad (Vedior) in the Professionals Business. He has been instrumental in setting up new Business Operations in Malaysia, China, Thailand, Hong Kong and Singapore driving the Staffing, Search, Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO) and Human Resources (HR) Services

businesses across these countries. He started as a consultant and grew on a fast-track over a period of slightly over 9 years from Vedior and moved on when Randstad acquired Vedior.

Kamal has a keen interest in mentoring people and developing talent. His finest achievements in Kelly India have been repositioning Kelly as a premium staffing brand in the last 4 years.

40 41

Members News

MICCI NEWS

MICCI News

Kuala Lumpur

Exploring Business Opportunities In Brunei

MICCI was among a 12-member delegation led by the President of the Confederation of Asia Pacific Chambers of Commerce and Industry (CACCI), Amb. Benedicto Yujuico that visited Brunei Darussalam in March 2014. The visit was organised and hosted by the National Chamber of Commerce and Industry Brunei (NCCIBD) with the objective to facilitate an avenue for the visiting delegation to meet local businessmen and key government officials to exchange views and information on current economic conditions in Brunei.

NCCIBD President, Haji Razali bin Haji Johari stated that the visit was indeed a timely affair as

the government was in the second phase of its long-term development framework for a 30-year period beginning in 2007 (known as Brunei Vision 2035) – which presents opportunities for trade and investment activities. He noted under the National Development Plan 2035, Brunei's per capita income is expected to be within those of the top 10 countries in the world.

The two-day visit comprised a few prominent meetings in particular with the Brunei Association of Banks, led by its Chairman, Todd Wilcox; PetroleumBRUNEI, led by its Strategic Planning Director, Jalleh Salleh;

Brunei Investment Agency, headed by its Chairman and current Minister of Education, YB Pehin Dato Haji Abu Bakar Apong; Minister of Health, Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Adanan; and Brunei Economic Development Board, Chairman and Deputy Minister of Brunei, YM Dato Haji Ali bin Haji Apong.

In conversation with the Deputy Minister of Brunei, a number of reasons on why foreign companies should consider Brunei as an investment destination were highlighted. Among them included:-

• Stable and prosperous country with excellent infrastructure and

strategically located within the ASEAN group of countries.

• No personal income tax, sales tax, payroll, manufacturing or export taxes. In addition, approved foreign investors can also enjoy company tax holiday of up to 11 years.

• Regulations relating to foreign participation in equity are flexible and in many instances, there can be 100 percent foreign ownership.

• The costs of utilities are among the lowest in the region.

• Stable political situation and the absence of natural catastrophes.

The mission to Brunei proved to be an insightful and valuable experience as it allowed for the delegation to attain information on business conditions in the country and opportunities for foreign trade and investments. In addition, the business meetings provided an avenue for MICCI to foster closer ties with businesses in the country and to promote and publicise the forthcoming 28th CACCI Conference to be held in Malaysia from 17-19 September 2014. More information on this international conference can be accessed at www.cacci2014.micci.com.

42 43

MICCI NewsBusiness Advocate

PMHA Strives For MoreThe organising committee of the Prime Minister’s Hibiscus Award (PMHA) 2014/2015 led by its Adviser, Dato’ Kok Wee Kiat met with the Director General of the Department of Environment Malaysia (DOE), Dato’ Halimah Hassan on 12 May 2014.

Also in attendance were Stewart Forbes, Executive Director of MICCI, Tuan Hj Abdul Aziz Long, President of ENSEARCH, and Stirling Yiin, Executive Director of BCSRM.

The aim of the meeting was to touch base with DOE on several issues with regards to the enhancement of the award. Among the matters raised were, to award PMHA assessors with Continuing Professional Development (CPD) points in order to attract more quality assessors, to commit a senior representative from DOE on the award committee, and to obtain critical feedback from DOE on environmental quality status that will enable

MICCI in collaboration with the Malaysian Exporters Association (MEXPA) jointly organised a one-day seminar on the various grants, financial assistance and other financial schemes offered or coordinated by the

various government agencies for Malaysian companies. Held on 14 April 2014 at the Matrade Exhibition and Convention Centre, the seminar was attended by close to 300 participants from various industries.

The speakers comprised of representatives from the Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (MATRADE), Malaysian Industrial Development Finance Berhad (MIDF), Malaysian Technology Development Corporation Sdn. Bhd. (MTDC), Export-Import Bank of Malaysia Berhad, Small Medium Enterprise Development Bank Malaysia Berhad (SME Bank), SME Corporation Malaysia, Crewstone International Sdn. Bhd., Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MOSTI) and Malaysian Venture Capital Management Berhad (MAVCAP).Among the topics

covered during the seminar included, the Market Development Grant Guidelines 2014, Government Financial Assistance Programmes under MIDF, Technology Grants, Cross Border Financing and Credit Insurance, SME Develop-ment Programmes, Guidance to the Right Financial Assistance, Pre-Commercialisation Fund and Venture Capital Funding.

The seminar was indeed and informative event as it provided participants with a significant range of financial assistance available for Malaysian businesses.

Kuala Lumpur

Kuala Lumpur

the PMHA participants to incorporate the input into their future programmes.

To this end, Dato’ Halimah agreed to award the CDP points while

further assuring the organising committee that DOE will delve into the matters raised and continue to provide its full support.

Government Grants And Financial Assistance For Malaysian Businesses

NationalConferenceOnGoods& Services Tax (GST)

In Budget 2014 tabled at Parliament on 25 October 2013, Prime Minister, Y.A.B. Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak announced the introduction of GST at the rate of 6% with effect from 1 April 2015. Given the significance of this impending taxation system, MICCI in collaboration with the Malaysian Export Academy (MEA) jointly organised the National Conference on GST that was attended by close to 130 participants from varied industries.

Held at MATRADE on 15 May 2014, the keynote address was delivered by

Y.B Datuk Hj Ahmad Bin Hj. Maslan Deputy Minister of Finance. Datuk Ahmad believed that the conference was indeed a laudable effort on the part of the private sector to work hand-in-hand with the Government in providing an avenue for the public to further enhance their understanding and knowledge on GST. He echoed the fact that to date, GST (also known as Value Added Tax in certain countries) has already been implemented in 160 countries in the world, as early as 1954 in France and Monaco. Malaysia has reached the

Kuala Lumpur

decisive point at which the economy should thrive on a broad-based, efficient and transparent consumption tax system - that is GST. The conference brought together six speakers namely Mohammad Sabri bin Saad, Senior Assistant Director II, Custom Malaysia GST Division, Royal Malaysian Customs, who presented on the implications and procedures of GST to businesses; Renuka Bhupalan, Managing Director of Taxand Malaysia Sdn Bhd, who enlightened on the issues confronting the implementation of GST; Stanley Wong, Director

of SW Project Consulting Sdn Bhd, who touched on the GST system change; Anand Raj and Irene Yong, both Partners of Shearn Delamore & Co, who covered the key legal issues and considerations of GST; and lastly, Teh Kheng Ean, Senior Assistant Director I, Custom Malaysia GST Division, Royal Malaysian Customs, who expounded on what businesses should do to prepare for GST.

At the conclusion of the conference, it was well acknowledged by those present that businesses need to take immediate steps to assess the impact of GST and be ready to embrace its implementation.

MICCISpeaksToDato’SriWahidbinOmarOnIndustryAffairs

MICCI invited Dato’ Sri Wahid bin Omar, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department to its monthly General Committee meeting in February 2014. The Chamber’s intention was to obtain the latest information on government initiatives and to express certain issues that were affecting businesses in the country.

Dato’ Sri Wahid took this opportunity to update the General Committee on three main areas, namely the state of the economy, the New Economic Model and its sustainable agenda, and the status of the Trans Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA).

Dato’ Sri Wahid highlighted that on average, GDP grew at 4.7% in 2013, in which GDP in Q4 stood at 5.1% versus 5% in Q3. Services sector continued to be the engine of economic growth along with the construction and manufacturing sectors. He emphasised that export grew strongly in 2013 and trade surplus in Q42013 amounted to RM27 billion. Current account surplus of RM37 billion was much better than expected. According to Dato’ Sri, Malaysia will not fall into the thread of twin-deficit as speculated. Foreign direct investment (FDI) of RM38.8 billion in 2013 as compared to RM31.1 billion in 2012 was also

very encouraging. Overall, from the macro-economic perspective, he stressed that Malaysia has done well. However, he pointed two areas of concern, namely international flow of funds and the employment number of 2013. On the cost side, he informed that subsidy expenditure was around 12% and there is a need to rationalize and the government is committed to fiscal consolidation.Concerns with regards to doing business in Sarawak were also raised by Datuk Abang Hj Abdul Karim, MICCI General Committee Member. Datuk Abang stated that the cost of living and inflation situation in

Sarawak is comparatively high mainly due to the lack of infrastructure and transportation cost associated with the Cabotage law. Moreover, with most palm oil in Sarawak planted on pit soil, the prohibition of importers in particular, EU importers from purchasing palm oil produced on pit soil is a concern.

In responding to the queries, Dato' Sri informed that the Government is doing its very best to mitigate the cost of doing business. One way of doing it is to enhance competitiveness of our labour and to enforce the minimum wage policy. He also stressed that the

44 45

Business Advocate MICCI News

Kuala Lumpur

Kuala Lumpur

By taking part in the Award, companies demonstrate to all interested parties (their customers, suppliers, regulatory bodies, etc) - their commitment towards ensuring environmental performance excellence. Participants are given an independent holistic overview of their management practices in addressing environmental issues besides the unique opportunity to measure their performance and benchmark their practices against competing industries.

The 2014/2015 Award cycle will be launch sometime by August 2014. For more information on the Award and for registration, please contact Ms Kavitha Muthiah / Mr Shafik Affandy at 03-6201 7708 or email kavitha@micci.com or shafik@micci.com

Prime Minister Hibiscus Award 2014/2015

The Prime Minister’s Hibiscus Award (Anugerah Hibiscus Perdana Menteri), first launched in 1996, is the premier private sector environmental award for business and industry in Malaysia. The Award,

previously known as “Hibiscus Award”, was upgraded to the Prime Minister’s Hibiscus Award, following the approval of the former Prime Minister of Malaysia, YAB Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, in June 1998.

The Award is jointly organised by four of Malaysia’s leading private sector non - profit

organisations concerned with corporate environmental issues, namely:

Business Council for Sustainability and Responsibility Malaysia (BCSRM)

Environmental Management & Research Association of Malaysia (ENSEARCH)

Federation of Malaysian Manufacturers (FMM)

Malaysian International Chamber of Commerce & Industry (MICCI)

The Award is endorsed by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MNRE), Malaysia and supported by the Department of Environment (DOE) and the private sector.

The objectives of the Award is:• Provide business and industry with the

opportunity of an independent evaluation of their environmental commitment, management and performance;

• Stimulate business and industry initiatives by encouraging them to assume a proactive role in sustainable environmental management practices; and

• Recognise the achievements of participating organisations as exemplary model for others to emulate.

government is trying best to prevent leakages and admitted that Malaysia suffers from poor perception in this regard. Meanwhile, he promised to look into the environmental concern posted by EU importers on palm oil from Sarawak.

The meeting concluded with Dato’ Sri Wahid thanking MICCI for being supportive of the government’s initiatives and policies and he urged the Chamber to publicise its stand on business issues widely.

IGP Solicits Assistance from Industry Players To Curb Crime

MICCI’s Joint Action Security Council (JASCO) met with the Inspector General of Police, YDH Tan Sri Dato' Sri Khalid Abu Bakar and his team on 14 March 2014 with the aim to get an update on the latest initiatives from the Royal Malaysian Police (RMP) and to highlight certain security issues affecting MICCI members.

Tan Sri Khalid informed that the overall security situation in the country was at a satisfactory level and that RMP is very receptive with working closely with the private sector and trade organisations in its on-going efforts to reduce crime and enhance its services. He took the liberty to highlight a few matters namely the Prevention of Crime Act (PCA), public

perception of the police and RMP’s resources, equipment and intelligence.

With regards to the PCA, which only recently came into force, Tan Sri stated that the Act awards superior authority to the Court on any action to be taken refuting suggestions that the police may abuse its power. On public

perception of the police, he informed that a new unit known as the Department of Crime Prevention and Suppression has been formed to increase public awareness on security measures undertaken and to raise RMP’s image in the public eye. Thus far, the department has been aggressively engaging with various parties through

open dialogues, public forums and roadshows. Meanwhile, RMP’s R&D department has been actively collaborating with academicians and professionals of University Tenaga Nasional (UNITEN) and the International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM) to improve its efficiency and intelligence. Tan Sri Khalid expressed RMP’s appreciation to MICCI and JASCO for continuously contributing towards the enhancement of the police force and the business industry. He welcomed further collaborations from the private sector in sharing their expertise on new technologies and to establish more platforms for industry engagements.

Kuala Lumpur

Surge In Cargo HijackingWorrisome

Combating crime against businesses is vital in supporting private investments and to strengthen investor confidence. MICCI’s Joint Action Security Council (JASCO) has been at the forefront in engaging with the Royal Malaysian Police on commercial and industrial related crime. Following the Council’s first meeting in January, which was graciously hosted by Taylor’s Education Group, it was brought to light that while the overall crime index in 2013 declined in the third and fourth quarter,

46 47

Business Advocate MICCI News

Shaping Malaysia’s Private Security Sector

The nation has for some time now focused on the many issues surrounding private security firms, even more so after several recent incidents involving security guards made the headlines. In its efforts to strengthen this sector and to identify new collaboration initiatives, MICCI’s Joint Action Security Council (JASCO) met with the President of the Security Services Association of Malaysia (SSAM), Datuk Hj Shaheen Mirza Habib on 28 March 2014. Presently, there are about 750 private security firms comprising 235,000 security guards in the

country. This sector has witnessed a rise in annual growth primarily due to the burgeoning infrastructure development. To meet the demand for security guards, certain private security firms leased out their licenses to smaller firms, which in turn were involved in hiring illegal guards.

Under the Private Employment Agencies Act 1971, only Malaysian citizens with no criminal background can be hired as guards with the exception of Nepalese citizens with military background and no criminal record. Those who were caught harbouring or

hiring illegal guards can be fined up to RM20,000 or jail or both. According to Datuk Shaheen, there are still considerable concerns affecting this sector, mainly due to poor vetting procedures, lack of training and quality guards, and the issue of adhering to the minimum wage policy.

JASCO Chairman, Rajan Mittal, stated that many companies might still be unaware of the Act and suggested that SSAM produce some guidelines or a checklist on the

proper procedures when hiring security guards.

The Chamber would gladly assist in creating awareness and circulate these guidelines to its Members, in addition to exploring greater collaborations with SSAM for the betterment of this sector.

Kuala Lumpur

Kuala Lumpur

the number of cases involving cargo hijacks and warehouse break-ins were still relatively high.

Statistics on hijackings and warehouse break-ins compiled from MICCI members revealed that in 2012, 74 cases were reported amounting to losses estimated at RM2.1 million, while in 2013, there were 72 cases with losses amounting to RM6 million. Since

January this year, 3 cases have been reported with losses estimated at RM4.5 million raising concern amongst manufacturers on how facile the information on movement of freights, its contents and value are obtained. According to a representative of Bukit Aman’s Cargo Crime Division, most of the cases were attributed to information leaking out from within the victim

company. In the effort to curb these crimes, JASCO has outlined several initiatives for 2014 that will include mock drills of warehouse break-ins and cargo hijacking, task force meetings with the various police contingents and the IGP’s office; and collaborations with the relevant authorities such as the Ministry of Home Affairs, Road Transport Department, Security Services Association of

Malaysia, PLUS Berhad and Port Authorities to name a few.

The Chamber firmly believes that with regular engagement and programmes under the umbrella of JASCO, MICCI members would be well informed and equipped on safety and security measures to safeguard their businesses.

CourtesyCallOnTNBPerak

Perak

An MICCI delegation paid a courtesy call on the General Manager of Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB) Perak, Dato’ Hj. Mohd Zahir Hj. Md Nagor on 5 May 2014. The courtesy call was intended to update members on the various initiatives by TNB and likewise to provide the utility giant on the Chamber’s roles and activities in the State.

During the visit, Dato’ Zahir took the opportunity to highlight the functions of the Sustainable Energy Development Authority Malaysia (SEDA) and how companies and individuals could benefit from installing photovoltaic facilities at their premises. He further stated that TNB was actively promoting

renewable energy and that the tariff of 1.6% imposed by TNB in the utility bill was being channeled to SEDA to promote the concept of "going green". Members were also briefed on the "district cooling" concept that basically refers to the off-peak tariff applicable

to industries and hotels, and on special incentives available for business. Before the visit concluded, Dato' Zahir suggested that a half-day seminar on "Energy Efficiency and Optimisation" be organised by the Chamber for the benefit of its members. He added that

SEDA representatives should ideally be invited as speakers, which would add greater value to the said session. To this end, MICCI agreed that the proposed seminar was indeed a valuable initiative and that the Chamber would look into realizing it.

AddressingCrimeIssuesInPerak

MICCI Perak Chairman, Dato’ Lim Si Boon led a delegation in a meeting with the Deputy Chief of Police, Perak, SAC Dato' Paramasivam Arunasalam in April 2014. The meeting allowed for both

parties to strengthen the continued relationship and for the police to provide an update on the latest developments on the crime situation in the State. Dato' Paramasivam

stated that the police would continue to foster a close relationship with the industrialists in the State and suggested that the Chamber shares it members reported and unreported crime incidence to enable him to personally look into the cases. It was also suggested that a half-day briefing on police investigative powers be organised for the benefit of members. It would be very useful for businesses and expatriates in the State to understand how

to handle crime situations while allowing an opportunity for the police from various districts to engage with the Chamber and its members.

The Chamber further proposed that more CCTVs be installed in crime prone areas taking into account the decrease in crime rate in Manjung after CCTVs were installed in the area. The meeting concluded with both parties agreeing to work hand in hand to tackle and reduce crime in the State.

Perak

48 49

her maiden speech, Tee addressed the guests on the various initiatives lined up by the branch for the benefits of Members, particularly on its forthcoming inaugural business directory

Business Advocate MICCI News

SIE 2014 & SIBLT 2014

Sabah

The SIE2014 - Sabah’s Premier Trade Fair has returned to our shores for the 8th time. This biennial expo will be held from 18-21 September 2014 at the majestic Magellan Sutera, Sutera Harbour Resort, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah. The Sabah International Expo 2014 (SIE) is a Sabah State Government sanctioned event which is jointly organised by the Federation of Sabah Industries (FSI), formerly known as FSM and the MICCI.Flying the theme “Sabah – Hub for the Far East”, SIE2014 aims to attract commercial and economic investments in Sabah. With a 70 million strong consumer market within

the East ASEAN Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA) and with social and political stability, these are excellent attributes for Sabah to be an ideal trading hub in the South East Asia region.

Preceding the expo on 18 September is the esteemed Sabah International Business Luncheon Talk 2014 (SIBLT). This year’s talk will feature keynote speaker Tan Sri Dato’ Dr. Francis Yeoh, Group Managing Director of YTL Corporation Berhad with the Right Honourable Chief Minister of Sabah as the Guest of Honour. The luncheon talk will also feature the

Honourable Deputy Chief Minister and Minister of Industrial Development as the moderator with an audience of 500 local and international participants expected to attend.More than 160 exhibition booths from a total of 202 have already been snapped up and the organising committee is foreseeing a higher number of visitors this year compared to the 30,000 visitors at the last expo. Thus far, 20 countries namely Argentina, Australia, Brunei Darussalam, China (Tibet), Ecuador, France, Germany, Indonesia, Korea, Nigeria, Philippines, Poland, Singapore,

Slovakia, South Africa, Swaziland, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand and Uruguay have confirmed their participation.Local and foreign businesses are strongly encouraged to seize this golden opportunity to participate and promote their company, whether in terms of expanding the market for their products and services; establishing new partnerships; penetrating new markets; conducting market surveys; networking; and collaborating with the most up to date innovations. SIE2014 and SIBLT2014 is where you would want to be!

Key participating sectors at SIE2014 are Oil and Gas, Green Energy, Palm Oil, Manufacturing, Agriculture, Services, Automotive Parts and Real Estate. An interesting array of products and services will be showcased from F&B, household & kitchen, health & beauty, machinery & equipment, construction, printing, telecommunications, insurance, education, ICT, logistics and green technology.

MICCI Johor Engages Batu Pahat Businesses

The Chamber’s Johor branch hosted a small get-together over lunch with Members and guests at the Katherina Hotel, Batu Pahat on 28 April 2014. The informal affair was aimed at introducing and

updating businesses in the Batu Pahat area on the role and functions of MICCI and how the Chamber can assist in facilitating their business needs. Members and guests were also introduced

to Christine Tee, CEO of Cape Manufacturing (M) Sdn Bhd who will be succeeding Nora Lam, Senior Partner of Nora Lam & Associates as Chairman of the branch effective 1 July 2014. In

GST Awareness SeminarWith the federal Govern-ment’s announcement that the Goods and Services Tax (GST) would be implemented with effect from 1 April 2015, many organisations are gearing up to acquaint themselves with the effects and

procedures of GST. Recognising the import-ance of this impending taxation system, MICCI Penang in collaboration with Texchem Resources Group and sponsored by Royal Malaysian Customs (RMC) Department, GST

Division organised a one-day GST Awareness Seminar on 24 April 2014 at the Royale Bintang Hotel, Penang. The seminar brought together more than 300 participants from diverse industries and featured

three speakers from RMC namely Shahmila Jayasagaran, Assistant Director, GST Division; Annie Thomas, Assistant Director, GST Division; and B.K. Gunasekaran, Senior Assistant Director, Internal Tax.

Understanding Visa’s &WorkPermits

Johor

More than 40 participants from various business sectors attended a half-day talk by the Immigration Department on 24 April 2014 at the Puteri Pacific Hotel, Johor.

Organised by MICCI Johor, the talk featured three speakers from the immi-gration department that focused on the procedures and criteria for applying or renewing work permits; how to apply for work permits; and the procedures and criteria for applying

for the Malaysia My Second Home visa.

In her opening address, MICCI Johor Chairman, Nora Lam thanked the Director of Immigration Johor, Rohaizi Bahari and his team for collaborating with the branch to organise the talk. She acknowledged the significant role that visa applications and work permits had on businesses while Rohaizi in return affirmed the importance for the immigration department to engage

with MICCI Members on these matters.

The talk was well received, with those present actively participating in the Q&A

session. The Immigration Department welcomed all the feedback and assured the participants that all concerns highlighted would be looked into.

that would contain useful information for potential investors considering Johor as an operational base. The lunch was a splendid opportunity for the guests to network and exchange insights on the business developments in the State. The afternoon was sponsored by HSBC bank Johor and Cape Manufacturing (M) Sdn Bhd.

Johor

50 51

Business Advocate

NetworkingEveningAtChinaHouse

MICCI News

Penang

Shahmila’s presentation was titled “The Salient Features of GST in Malaysia” and “Preparing Businesses for the Transitional Period” which covered areas on the basic elements of GST including the registration criteria and procedures. Concerning the transitional period, she delved into five areas particularly, the Act Repealed, Supply Spanning GST, Non-Reviewable Contract, Special Refund and Business Preparation. Annie’s presentation on the other hand was titled “Accounting for Tax” which comprised topics cover- ing areas on Input Tax,

Taxable Period, and GST Adjustments and Submissions, to name a few; while Gunasekaran’s presentation titled “GST Treatment on Manufacturing” touched on the various facilities under GST for the manufacturing sector.

The seminar concluded with a highly interactive Q&A session with many areas needing further clarification. There were pressing demands from participants for more sectorial-based GST sessions of which the Chamber will be addressing in the near future.

About 40 members and guests attended an exclusive Art Exhibition networking evening organised by MICCI Penang and hosted by China House, at its premises on 14 March 2014.

The exhibition showcased the work by well-known London artist, Kate Hunt.

Interestingly, Kate was born in Penang and lived here until she was two years old. Returning to the “Pearl of the Orient” for her first solo exhibition in the peninsular was indeed a walk down memory lane. Set against a heritage enclave, China House is an old-fashioned building linked by an open-air courtyard

Luncheon With The President Of MPSP

MICCI Penang hosted a Business Luncheon with the President of the Seberang Perai Municipal Council (MPSP), Maimunah bt Mohd Shariff in March at the Sunway Seberang Jaya Hotel. The luncheon was aimed at providing members and guests with the latest development plans for mainland Penang.

In her address, Maimunah explained that MPSP’s vision was to work closely with the State Government to move mainland Penang up the value chain, not only in the industrial sector but also for the living, working and recreational conditions of the people. The council had no direct policy on education as it was under the Federal Government's purview,

but they endeavoured to have a balanced society working towards becoming an intelligent and international City.She further stated that presently, the land use on mainland Penang was for housing at 11.84%, industrial 4.6%, commercial 1.04%, agricultural 48.27% and others 34.25%. At the last seating of the MPSP council, 60 plans for

improvement were put forth. It was projected that by 2020 land use would be housing at 21.06%, Industrial 6.76%, Commercial 2.0%, agricultural 40% and others 30.11%.

Regrettably, Seberang Prai formerly known as Province Wellesley, has yet to receive the acknowledgment it deserves for being a

comprising shops, restaurants, galleries and multi-purpose performance theatre.

The informal ambience allowed for a more casual setting for members and guest to speak to the Chamber on their business concerns while rubbing shoulders with key business players in the State.

Penang

52 53

Penang

NetworkingEveningatThe Rice Miller Hotel

Though yet to open its doors, the Rice Miller Hotel has already attracted much traction with Penangnites. Owned by the Asian Global Business Sdn. Bhd., the Rice Miller is divided into two sections – the hotel and the City Residences. Close to 40 members and guests were hosted by Asian Global Business to a cocktail evening in March 2014. Those present were treated to a variety concoction of cocktails and food that were specially prepared by Patrick Moukarzel, General Manager of Rice Miller Hotel who is a chef by profession. During the unique

dining experience, guest were also enlightened on the Rice Miller City Residence concept. Built within a square that was encased between Weld Quay, Church Street

Ghaut, Beach Street and China Street Ghaut, the project lies where the rice millers of yesteryear had their godowns.The evening provided an informal setting for

Business Advocate

Penang

members and guests to exchange views on the developments in the State while undoubtedly establishing new business contacts.

tourist hotspot. Efforts are being undertaken by MPSP to promote the heritage aspects of this province particularly with the recent launch of a coffee table book titled

“Seberang Prai: Discovering the Hidden Pearl of Penang” in March.

To ensure that MPSP remains on the right track towards achieving its

goals, a Strategy Plan has been drafted and will run from 2014 till 2018. This Strategy Plan outlines areas for development and how it will be achieved. Overall, the luncheon

proved to be an insightful occasion with both members and guests looking forward to the positive developments that lies ahead.

REGIONAL FOCUS Perak

54 55

MICCITalksToAlister Bartholomew

ChiefExecutiveOfficerofTenbySchoolsMalaysia

confidence in themselves and the determination to become outstanding achievers.

Apart from wholesome delivery of the curricula, at Tenby Schools, the strength of our organisation lies in the integration of not only our students, but also our staff. Tenby Schools employ both expatriate and local staff, currently close to 600 within the group.

We share best practices from the international and local perspectives. This is usually done through continuous in-service training as well as professional development programmes, occasionally with input from external consultants. Over the years, we have developed close ties with Stranmillis University College, Queen’s University, Belfast and Columbia University, New York in teacher training. Our schools continue to benefit from these programmes.

2 What standards or practices are inplacetoensure

students achieve and retain high scores and grades?

Using an internationally recognised UK-based assessment programme, we have a progress

tracking mechanism in place, starting from the point of admissions and the data collected is used to help us understand the students’ developed abilities and likely academic potential. We also use the information to help in intervention, monitoring progress and setting targets for future attainment.

On top of that, a small teacher-student ratio (average of 1:10) in our schools also ensures that each child receives personalised attention and support from the teachers.

However, at Tenby Schools, we believe that academic success alone does not guarantee success in life. The programmes at Tenby Schools are meant to be wholesome, focusing on not only the curricula but also learning beyond the classrooms.

3 Socialandextracurricularactivities

are an important aspect in a student’s development.HowdoesTenbyinstillthepositiveeffectsthatare brought about from these activities in its students?

We want to develop students who are effective communicators and sensitive to cultural

Alister Bartholomew was appointed as the CEO of Tenby Schools Malaysia in March this year. He oversees the operation and development of all the Tenby Schools in Malaysia. Alister’s involvement in international education forthepast30yearshastakenhimacrosstheglobe;from the UK to Central Asia, and now Malaysia.

Regional Focus

1 Can you brieflydescribeTenbySchools

Malaysia?WhatmakesTenbySchooldifferentfromotherschools?

The Tenby Schools group operates international and Malaysian private schools in Malaysia. Having started in Ipoh, there are now also Tenby Schools in Penang, Setia Eco Park in Shah Alam, Miri in Sarawak and Setia Eco Gardens in Johor Bahru. All Tenby Schools campuses are housed in purposed-built modern facilities to meet the needs for learning and teaching in the 21st century.

Three of our campuses comprise an international and a national school within one premises. Building on the values and tradition from the first Tenby Schools in Ipoh, established in the 1960s, we promote international mindedness through the academic, as well as extracurricular programmes at our schools.

Our vision is “A United World At Peace – Through Education” and is shared by all our schools. We are dedicated to bring together students from different cultures and nationalities and educate them to become the global citizens of the future - young people with respect for one another,

Business Advocate

diversity, as we believe these are crucial for them when they pursue further education at the tertiary level and when they enter career life. Employers these days also look for talents that are developed through participation in extracurricular activities like leadership and organisational skills. At our schools, we provide the opportunities for our students for such development through exposure to various community service projects locally and internationally. For example, Tenby Schools Ipoh has an ongoing community service project at an orang asli settlement in Tapah, where the students raise

funds to provide the community with a range of daily necessities, from food to stationery items.

In Cambodia, the students of Tenby Schools Setia Eco Park raise funds to build a school in a small village near Siem Reap and in the process, learn about working together towards a common goal. In fact, they are also physically involved in the building of the school during their annual trips to the country.

Through these experiences, our students get to observe firsthand the living conditions of a different community and become aware of the big divide between the standard of living of those less fortunate

and themselves. The opportunity to interact with the locals and the experience gained are priceless.

Apart from community service projects, we also encourage and develop public speaking skills amongst our students, not just through debates and oratory competitions, but also on a day-to-day basis where students use a variety of methods to report or present their work and projects. The expressive arts is another area where our students have opportunities to build their confidence through learning a new skill or public performance. In short, all these are designed to give our students a balanced

educational experience, which will be very useful for their future.

4 How,inyouropinion,willeducationsolve

orreducesocial,economicalandpoliticalproblemslocallyandglobally?

We have an increasing understanding that education is a lifelong pursuit for all our young people. It does not end when one leaves secondary school or the university.

With the rapid development of science and technology, the world is now facing complex problems that we have never faced before,

56 57

Business Advocate Regional Focus

from economic crises to political upheavals. Global, community and individual efforts are required to find new solutions. To cope with changes, and to ensure changes help develop our society, our young generation has to understand these complex problems, to be highly knowledgeable, to be able to work collaboratively and in teams, and to be capable of exercising moral judgment and to take a global perspective.

In other words, the younger generation must be taught from young the importance of peace and unity. The ability to empathise, understand and collaborate with others are assets in conflict resolution on any scale.

As an educationalist, I cannot think of a better place to instill the understanding and passion for the above than an international school such as ours.

5 What is the best advice you can give students

venturing towards highereducationalinstitutions?

I have many, but if I were to offer three, I would say, firstly, set high personal and academic standards for yourself, and live up to them. Listen to that little voice inside you that says, “I can do this.” Believe in yourself. Realize that school is work; it is not playtime. Settle for nothing less than your very best. Willingness to accept anything less than the very best too often becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy.

Secondly, get to know a wide range of people – faculty, staff, and students. Networking is important. It is often true that who you know is just as important as what you know. Use your acquaintances to advantage, but do not take advantage of them.

And thirdly, do not make important decisions based on second-hand information. Jumping to rash conclusions based on incorrect information can cause you significant personal and professional problems. If you are uncertain about something, check it out before you decide.

6 How do you see education evolvingoverthe

next 10 years?Technology will certainly play a much bigger role than it already is now. In the past, knowledge was bounded – both in books and in classrooms. But today, the Internet provides nearly endless learning opportunities for anyone who is interested. Having said that, not everything can be learnt with just a Google search.

Much has also been said about online and virtual classrooms but to me, no amount of technology can replace the powerful learning that happens in physical space, in face-to-face interactions between children and their peers as well as with their teachers. I think the focus on acquiring knowledge and skills are shifting towards critical thinking. New curricula will put a stronger emphasis on skills such as essay writing, problem-solving, mathematical modelling and computer programming. Factual knowledge will provide the essential building blocks for more advanced ideas in the sciences, arts and humanities.

7 With your extensive experience

withinternationaleducationalstandards,policyanditsevolvingnature,any expectations on ‘bright’ new changes takingplaceinMalaysia’sschooloreducation system?

In any country, the national curriculum cannot be modernised without paying close attention to what is happening in education internationally. Drafting a curriculum is a highly specialised and professional task. It must be done with heavy involvement of teachers and school leaders.

The Malaysia Education Blueprint 2013-2025 highlights the country’s desire to progress in line with the above. I am particularly interested to see a revision of the current curriculum “to embed a balanced set of knowledge and skills such as creative thinking, innovation, problem-solving and leadership.” I think this is in line with what I mentioned earlier about how education is evolving.

I am pleased to see that the government is looking into improving the standard of English in the national schools, and at the same time, encouraging students to learn additional languages to equip themselves for a globalizing world.

Overview Of The EducationalSceneInPerak

ThestateofPerakplayshostto852primaryschoolswhere22,614teacherseducate 228,308 students, and 245 high schools where 18,095 teachers facilitate the advancementof201,076teenager'seducation.Perakhashadillustrioushistorywhenit comes to schooling, boasting many of the most famous schools in the land.

One of Malaysia's oldest schools, the Treacher Methodist Girls School, was established in Perak in 1889 by Methodist Missionaries. Shortly after, the Clifford School in Kuala Kangsar was founded, and many royal Malaysian dignitaries regard that school as their alma mater. The prestigious Malay College Kuala Kangsar is perhaps the most famous of the Perakian schools, and many of its alumni became sultans and senior cabinet ministers. Other greats in Ipoh include St. Michael's Institution, Main Convent, Anglo-Chinese School, and Anderson School.

Earlier this year, the Ministry of Education had delegated more power to state education departments to speed up school building projects, which will undoubtedly improve the lot of these young ones. This builds on the Perak state government's expenditure of over RM176 million on education through various programmes from 2009 to 2013.

The state government, through Menteri Besar Incorporated, plans to develop several

education hubs in Perak in Kampar, Tanjung Malim, and Seri Iskandar. Sprawled over a thousand acres, the hub will focus on education at the tertiary level and it will take between 10 and 15 years to develop. Government, semi-government, and private universities/colleges will be built at this hub, and Perak is one of the first states in the country to put forward such a bold education blueprint.

This is a promising sign of progress for the state's tertiary level education as universities like

Universiti Kuala Lumpur (UniKL), Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI), Universiti Teknologi Petronas (UTP), Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman (UTAR), and Sultan Idris University of Education, amongst others, are already part and parcel of the Perakian education landscape.

UTP, a private, government-linked university, is one of the most well-known local universities that produces engineering graduates, with over 10,000 graduates having walked through the

halls of this technology-centric university. These individuals have gone on to contribute towards augmenting the oil and gas industry in Malaysia, one of our economy's most demanding and important sectors. UniKL's Malaysian Institute of Marine Engineering Technology (MIMET) and Royal College of Medicine helps bolster scientific research and studies in marine engineering technology and medicine and improve access for young Malaysians to these industries.

58

Business Advocate

TalentManagementInPerak

There are certainly many talented people born and bred in Perak, but a majority had chosen to pursue and develop their career outside the state, particularly in Penang, Kuala Lumpur and Singapore. A convenient factor behind this would be that it is a natural course to follow upon completion of training or tertiary education in those cities. Many would end up holding key positions in their respective organisations and industries.

So, with the growing availability of tertiary education in Perak through the setting up of several universities

and colleges, one would expect a shift in the above trend. Local talents will now stay to develop their career and companies in Perak would have no problem in recruiting suitable talents for their organisations.

Unfortunately, that is not happening. It is a challenge for most companies in Perak to recruit people with talents and abilities due to limited opportunities and salary scales that are simply not attractive enough for these potential employees. The “better work-life balance” selling point will only attract talents of a certain age group, often ready for retirement; not young guns ready to be groomed for success.

While most home-grown companies in Perak are SMEs which are essentially stable organisations, many have very little to attract top talents. The progression

route is unclear and often, there is not a coherent sense of professional development within these organisations. Some forward thinking companies have started to move from ad hoc to strategic talent management in recruiting and developing their employees. There is a small number of dynamic companies that are able to attract potential employees by offering a good career path with an attractive compensation package for those with proven track records.

However, much still needs to be done for employee retention and succession planning. When it comes to top talents, a good salary and remuneration package does not suffice. Most would look for intangible incentives such as a positive organisational culture, for example one that promotes transparency, shared decision-making and lifelong learning.

For companies and employees to benefit from strategic talent management, active involvement is expected. How performance is measured must be clearly identified and communicated across the board to maximise participation and productivity.

It is a challenging process to align talent management with business strategy. At one time or another, companies will find themselves faced with a situation where ad hoc measures are the only solution available. At times like these, they should consider how much attention has been given to developing internal talent, starting at the executive level. Are there ready candidates at every key position?

The ability to train and retrain employees according to business needs, create opportunities for concurrent collaboration, and equip the employees with clear improved strategic thinking and leadership skills are all benefits of a strategic talent management process that will drive true business success.

Are the companies in Perak ready for this?Author: YeunYinFongistheMarketingCommunicationsManager

ofTenbySchoolsMalaysia.SheisproudtobeaPerakean,andlivesinIpoh with her family. Yin Fong spends most of her free time reading – anything from political suspense to social history.

AretheremanytalentedpeopleinPerak?AretherecareeropportunitiesfortalentedpeopleinPerak?Arethesetalentsmanagedstrategically,forthebenefitsoftheemployeesandtheir organisations? It would be ideal to answer all three with asimple“Yes”–withouthavingtoadd“but…”afterit;BUTthereality is some might even answer the above questions with a resounding“No”!

by Yuen Yin Fong