Youth in Malaysia are calling for an increase in the Skill Development Fund Corporation (PTPK) and more government-supervised early childhood education centers in the upcoming Budget 2025, scheduled to be presented in Parliament on October 18.
Mohd Izzat Afifi AbdulHamid, president of the Malaysian Youth Council, emphasized the need for a larger PTPK fund. He noted that the number of students in Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) is rising, along with associated costs. “The government allocated RM180 million in this year’s budget. We hope this amount will increase to meet current demands,” he told Bernama recently.
He also pointed out that the National Technical and Vocational Education and Training Council (MTVET) announced premium salaries between RM2,500 and RM4,000 for TVET graduates on September 23. This move is expected to encourage more students to pursue studies in this field next year.
During a recent Townhall meeting organized by the Ministry of Human Resources (KESUMA), there was a call for expanding access to TVET and increasing staff in skills colleges. “If the government agrees to boost PTPK funding, I hope it will also extend to the National Dual Training Scheme (SLDN),” he added.
Mohd Izzat also advocated for an increase in early childhood education centers, including Taman Bimbingan Kanak-Kanak (Tabika) and preschool classes. “Youth, especially those with families, are struggling with low wages and high living costs, including private kindergarten fees. Increasing the number of kindergartens and preschools is essential, as current facilities cannot accommodate all students,” he said.
Additionally, Luqman Hakim Md Zim, president of Prihatin Malaysia, urged the government to expand scholarship assistance programs to cover all fields of research for higher education students. “The scholarship should support all research areas to enhance the country’s human capital and contribute to educational development,” he stated.
Luqman Hakim also suggested the government implement a funding scheme to help youth entrepreneurs enter the digital sector. “This is a new opportunity that the government should explore, as the digital economy significantly contributes to the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Encouraging start-ups among youth will increase the number of young entrepreneurs and boost the sector,” he explained.
On October 4, Digital Minister Gobind Singh Deo announced that the digital economy is expected to contribute up to 25.5% of GDP by the end of next year. He noted that Malaysia is on track to meet this target, as evidenced by an increase in digital investment to RM66.22 billion in the first half of this year, up from RM46.2 billion in 2023.
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