“Your supplier and your customer will feel more comfortable and the chances of misunderstandings will be lower,” he said.
Ng pointed out that there are other considerations when hiring an employee aside from their language proficiency.
“Language is important. But there are also more skill sets out there.
“So it really depends on a lot of factors. But being able to communicate in Mandarin is an advantage,” he said.
Associated Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry of Malaysia president Tan Sri Low Kian Chuan believes Mandarin fluency will indeed improve someone’s chances of getting hired in China-oriented businesses and Chinese-populated countries such as China, Taiwan and Hong Kong.
“Being able to communicate in their native language enhances communication and cultural understanding, develops connection and fosters trust, which are valuable in building stronger relationships and conducting business effectively,” he said.
He cited the example of the Malaysian tourism industry, where mastering Mandarin could help tourism practitioners such as tour agencies and tour guides provide value-added services and tour experiences for tourists from China, Taiwan and Hong Kong.
Concurring, Christina Tee, president of the Malaysian International Chamber of Commerce and Industry, highlighted that China is a big economic region now, so it is almost certain that being fluent in Mandarin will give these job seekers a higher potential of getting employed.
Those who learn an extra language tend to have very good communication skills as well, which will give them even more of an edge in getting hired, she added.
“They definitely stand a higher chance at getting better opportunities internationally because they have opened themselves up to a different kind of market,” she said.
This is the final part of Media in Arms’ special report series “SJKC: Reality for Non-Chinese students”, which explores the experience of non-Chinese students in Chinese schools.
Media in Arms is a media collaboration comprising five mainstream media outlets: Chinese newspaper Sin Chew Daily, Malay daily Sinar Harian, local news broadcaster Astro Awani, Tamil newspaper Malaysia Nanban and The Star, which formed this initiative in February 2022 to share resources and collaborate on diversified news content.
One for the album: The Malaysian delegation led by Ahmad Zahid posing for a group photo after the MOU signing ceremony between Belia Mahir and Beifang International Education in Beijing. — Bernama
Scholarships and training in courses ranging from EVs to robotics and AI available
WITH over 5,000 Malaysian students set to benefit from technical and vocational education and training (TVET) in China, Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has called it a “game changer” in skills learning and career advancement for youth.
The Deputy Prime Minister said 220 Chinese companies are offering 5,125 places to Malaysian students to undertake short- to long-term courses in TVET.
The “game changer,” he said, will enable Malaysian students to learn high-tech equipment skills and forge a promising career path in TVET, which would come with better salaries.
“They will receive training in China through the Malaysia-China Youth TVET Training Programme’s Finishing School approach, with all expenses covered.
“These collaborations focus on various advanced courses, particularly in the automotive sector, emphasising electric vehicles (EVs), renewable energy vehicles (REVs), robotics, the Internet of Things (IoT), and artificial intelligence (AI),” he told the media in Beijing on Wednesday night.
Ahmad Zahid is in the Chinese capital on the last leg of his 11-day trip to mark the 50th anniversary of Malaysia-China bilateral ties. Before Beijing, he was in Hong Kong and Shanghai.
It’s also his first official visit to China since becoming Deputy Prime Minister in December 2022.
On the TVET programme, Ahmad Zahid said the initiative stems from a collaboration between the National Organisation of Skilled Workers (Belia Mahir) and China’s TVET sector, particularly through the Beifang Automotive Education Group and Tang (M) International Education Group.
Earlier, he witnessed the signing of a memorandum of understanding between Malaysia and 114 Chinese firms to affirm the collaboration and facilitate TVET training for Malaysian students at the Beifang International Education Centre in Daxing, Beijing.
Also present were Deputy Foreign Minister Datuk Mohamad Alamin, Majlis Amanah Rakyat (Mara) chairman Datuk Dr Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki, GiatMara chairman Datuk Musa Sheikh Fadzir, Belia Mahir secretary-general and head of skilled youth Mohammad Rizan Hassan, Beifang International Education president Cao Zhenfeng and Tang International Education Group president Li Jinsong.
Ahmad Zahid, who is also the National TVET Council chairman, said the training quota includes 500 places for Malaysian Chinese students and 200 places each for Indian students, and those from Sabah and Sarawak.
“Graduates will later be absorbed into these Chinese companies that have invested in TVET in Malaysia, enhancing their employability and immediate job market readiness.
“In addition to the 2,000 positions provided by Beifang Automotive, we have also secured a further 3,125 places following our recent discussions; it now totals 5,125 opportunities for our students.
“These courses are worth some RM30mil, sponsored by Chinese firms. Our side will cover flight tickets and a basic Chinese language course provided by the Malaysia-China Institute (MCI),” he said, adding that the courses will be rolled out in phases through 2025.
He also thanked Beifang for its commitment to sending training equipment, including six EVs and hydrogen cars to GiatMara, to facilitate the practical learning of repairing EVs and REVs, along with the free training provided to underprivileged students and instructors from Malaysian TVET institutions.
Ahmad Zahid said Malaysia’s emerging development in TVET talent is a way forward for these graduates to earn premium salaries.
“The demand for skilled labour is high, and with the requisite skills, achieving a premium salary is feasible.
“This is a proactive and straightforward process. I hope Malaysian students will seize the opportunity to further their studies,” he said.
The graduates’ qualifications, said Ahmad Zahid, are recognised by the newly unified accreditation body comprising the Malaysian Qualifications Agency (MQA) and the Skills Development Department for TVET courses.
“Previously, the National TVET Council has approved a single accreditation body that will do the recognition, either at the certificate or diploma level.”
Between May 29 last year and May 28 this year, he said, 850 Malaysians have undergone skill enhancement training in China in fields such as EV, AI, industrial automation, and railway maintenance.
“China’s exemplary practices in TVET serve as a benchmark for Malaysia.
“We aim to focus on industry partnerships, practical training and relevant curriculum development, utilising modern and advanced training facilities to prepare our workforce for future challenges.
“I hope all parties in Malaysia and China will fully support the MCI and subsequently become partners of the Malaysian government in our efforts to strengthen Malaysia-China diplomatic relations through TVET,” he concluded.
PETALING JAYA: Malaysia has the potential to attract more international students due to its quality education and affordable cost of living.
Malaysian Association of Private Colleges and Universities (Mapcu) president Datuk Parmjit Singh said factors that encourage students to study in Malaysia include the availability of high quality education programmes system delivered by universities with a strong international outlook and well-developed campuses and facilities.
“Tuition fees are relatively lower... (The same goes for the) living cost in Malaysia,” he said, adding that Malaysia also offers a student-friendly social ecosystem to provide the sort of lifestyle sought by international students.
“The tightening of regulations for international students is happening in a few countries, with some mainly due to shortages of accommodation in these countries.
“This does present opportunities for Malaysia to attract those students who are now unable to study in countries such as Australia, the United Kingdom and Canada.
“However, factors such as opportunities to work while studying and more inclusive post-study work opportunities – all of which are available to international students in those countries – may need to be enhanced in order to encourage these students to select Malaysia as a preferred alternative destination,” said Parmjit, who is also Asia Pacific University of Technology & Innovation (APU)chief executive officer (CEO).
Vice-Chancellors’ Council for Private Universities chairman Prof Mushtak Al-Atabi said in order to attract international students to our shores, Malaysia should make itself a more accessible destination.
“There are multiple countries in the region that are competing with Malaysia to be the regional education hub,” said Prof Mushtak, who is also Heriot-Watt University Malaysia provost and CEO.
National Association of Private Educational Institutions secretary-general Dr Teh Choon Jin said it is important for Malaysia to maintain a good reputation in terms of treatment of international students or foreigners in order to entice students to come here.
“If there is any negative report of ill treatment of foreigners, it may discourage potential international students from pursuing their studies in Malaysia,” he said.
Dr Teh also said these students may face challenges in finding employment opportunities in Malaysia after graduation as there are limited numbers for international graduates, compared to those in countries with more robust job markets.
On the plus side, Malaysia offers great cost savings due to the ringgit’s exchange rate being low compared with countries such as the UK, Australia, Canada and the United States, he added.
Malaysia’s location in South-East Asia with good connectivity to other countries within the region and those beyond the region also makes it an attractive destination to experience Asia, Dr Teh said.
He added that the nation is perceived as a safe country, Muslim-friendly and has a wide variety of food catering to different needs.
“Malaysia has relatively straightforward visa regulations compared to some other countries, making it easier for students to obtain study visas,” said Teh, who is also APU registrar.
Education Malaysia Global Services (EMGS) CEO Novie Tajuddin said the number of international students coming to Malaysia has been increasing over the years.
He said the principal body that manages the movement of international students in Malaysia, including facilitating visa processing, had received 65,207 applications by the end of 2023.
This is a huge increase compared with 10,453 applications in 2020.
“Malaysia is attractive to international students as (the living cost in the country) is affordable... The people are (also) friendly, and we are advanced in terms of transnational education,” he said when contacted.
“EMGS continues to promote our education, opening the door for new areas, looking into existing policy and working closely with the Higher Education Ministry and to work with other relevant ministries,”
Novie stressed.He also posited that the country could benefit from the tightening of regulations governing international students in other countries such as Canada, Australia and the UK.
Novie highlighted that Malaysia offers a graduate pass for students from 25 countries, including Brunei, Singapore, South Korea, Japan and Australia.
This year, he said, China and India were added to the list of countries that offer the pass.
“The graduate pass allows international students to stay for a year after completing their study.
“In this time, they can go on vacation, progress to the next study level or work in Malaysia,” he added.
The graduate pass is a long-term social visit pass that allows holders to gain multiple entries into the country.
The said pass is offered to international graduates who have completed their degree programmes at local universities and other higher education institutes
PUTRAJAYA: The Chinese and Tamil schools are here to stay.
The Federal Court had refused an application by two non-governmental organisations (NGOs) to seek leave to appeal against an earlier ruling that the use of Chinese and Tamil languages in these schools is constitutional.
A three-member panel led by Justice Mary Lim Thiam Suan, in a 2-1 majority decision, dismissed the application by Islamic Education Development Council (Mappim) and the Confederation of Malaysian Writers Association (Gapena) against the Appeals Court’s decision on Nov 23 last year.
The Appeals Court had affirmed that the existence and establishment of vernacular schools and the use of Chinese and Tamil languages in those schools are constitutional.
Justice Lim and Justice Rhodzariah Bujang dismissed the application of both petitioners, while Justice Abdul Karim Abdul Jalil dissented.
In delivering the majority decision, Justice Lim said the court found that Mappim and Gapena failed to meet the requirements under Section 96(a) of the Courts of Judicature Act 1964 to be granted leave to appeal on constitutional matters that had been amended by the petitioners.
“Therefore, the application for leave to appeal is dismissed with no costs,” she said.
Prior to this, the two NGOs, through their lawyer, Mohamed Haniff Khatri Abdulla, submitted eight questions which consisted of six constitutional and two legal questions. However, the questions were later amended and only one constitutional question was presented to the court.
The constitutional question was whether the medium of instruction in the teaching and learning process in national-type Chinese and Tamil schools, established under Sections 2, 17 and 28 of the Education Act 1996 (Act 550), is an official matter and subject to the obligation under Article 152(1) of the Federal Constitution. Article 152(1) mandates the use of the national language for all official matters.
On Dec 29, 2021, High Court judge Justice Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali (now Court of Appeal judge) dismissed the lawsuit brought by GPMS, Mappim, Gapena and Isma. GPMS did not file an appeal.
On May 29 last year, in the Kota Baru High Court, judicial commissioner Abazafree Mohd Abbas (now High Court judge) also ruled that the existence of vernacular schools is constitutional and dismissed a suit filed by I-Guru.
In their suit, GPMS, Mappim, Gapena and Isma named several parties including the Malaysian government, Chinese education groups Dong Zong and Jiao Zong, Persatuan Thamizhar Malaysia, Persatuan Tamilar Thurunal (Perak) and four political parties – MIC, MCA, Gerakan and Parti Bumiputra Perkasa Malaysia – as respondents.
I-Guru, meanwhile, named the Education Minister and the Government of Malaysia as respondents and sought a declaration that Sections 17 and 28 of the Education Act 1996 are inconsistent with Article 152 of the Federal Constitution.
The Chinese Language Council, Tamil Neri Association, Confederation of former Tamil School Pupils, MCA and Dong Zong were allowed to be interveners in the suit filed by I-Guru. Isma and I-Guru were not parties in the application for leave yesterday.
In yesterday’s proceedings, only the United Welfare of Retired Tamil Teachers Association Malaysia, Chinese Language Council, Malaysian Tamil Neri Association and United Association of Malaysian Tamil Students did not oppose the constitutional question by Gapena and Mappim, while 10 other respondents including the Minister of Education and Government of Malaysia opposed.
Earlier, Mohamed Haniff Khatri submitted that the application involved a matter of public interest that has never been challenged in court since independence. He said the matter should be brought to the Federal Court to be solved once and for all.
“If a decision is made at the Federal Court, perhaps it will not be challenged again, but if this application is only settled at the Court of Appeal, certain parties may try to challenge it again in court over the next 10 years,” he said.
Senior federal counsel Liew Horng Bin, representing the Malaysian Government and Education Minister, submitted that there was no merit in the application and both NGOs failed to establish that the case was of public importance.
Datuk Malik Imtiaz Sarwar, who acted for Chong Hwa Independent High School of Kuala Lumpur, said there was a distinction between a political issue and a legal one.
“It is not necessary for the court to grant permission to hear constitutional issues,” the lawyer said. — Bernama
TCM practitioners exempted from 8 pct service tax - YouTube
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Traditional and complementary medicine practitioners registered under the T&CM Act 2016 will be exempted from the 8 percent service tax.
Finance Minister II Datuk Seri Amir Hamzah Azizan said as long as the TCM practitioners are registered with the Act under the Health Ministry, they will be exempted from the service tax that will come into effect on March 1.
Tax exemption for traditional and complementary medicine ...
PETALING JAYA: Consumers can heave a sigh of relief as Traditional and Complementary Medicine (T&CM) services will now be exempted from the 8% Sales and Service Tax (SST) from March 1, a U-turn from what was previously gazetted.
This reversal by the Finance Ministry reflects a consideration for the well-being of the people, prioritising healthcare accessibility, said Second Finance Minister Senator Datuk Seri Amir Hamzah Azizan.
He added that this exemption aligns with the Madani Malaysia concept, which is part of the Madani Economy Rakyat empowerment framework.
“The decision was agreed upon by the Prime Minister and Finance Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim as this is a step to improve the health and comfort of the people.
“At the same time, the Madani Economy framework will continue to empower small and medium enterprises (SMEs) which employ more than half of the labour in Malaysia.
“The government has acknowledged that SMEs still have a journey ahead before they can enter the global market.
“Therefore, these entrepreneurs rely on domestic demand for their business survival, especially those SMEs offering services to Malaysians,” said Amir Hamzah in a statement.
The Finance Ministry further stated that practitioners registered under the Traditional and Complementary Medicine Act 2016 (Act 775) do not need to register with the Customs Department.
“The services which will be exempted from SST will be on traditional Malay medicines, Chinese traditional medicines, Indian traditional medicines, homeopathy, chiropractic medicines, osteopathic medicines and Islamic faith healing.
“The Finance Ministry agreed that the decision will be imposed from March 1 onwards on services provided by health and wellness centres which are run by T&CM practitioners who are registered under the Act 775 for the stated services,” he said.
On Jan 6, The Star had published an article quoting T&CM practitioners questioning why they were not exempted from the 8% SST as they are categorised and recognised by the Health Ministry for providing medical services.
The Malaysian Chinese Medical Association and Association of Malay Naturopathy Medicine Practitioners Malaysia had then stated that the government needs to provide further clarification on why their services were being taxed.
“If the modern medicine field can be exempted, then why do our clients have to pay taxes for T&CM treatments?
“We definitely need more clarification on this,” Malaysian Chinese Medical Association President Dr Heng Aik Teng had queried.
The Association of Malay Naturopathy Medicine Practitioners Malaysia pointed out that T&CM practitioners undergo procedures similar to modern medicine practitioners, including registering with the T&CM Council, renewing their Annual Practice Certificate, having qualifications that are recognised, and complying with Act 775.
Traditional Chinese Medicine: What You Need To Know
TCM practitioners use various psychological and/or physical approaches (such as acupuncture and tai chi) as well as herbal products to address health problems.
Testing his knowledge: Year 4 pupil Muaz Harith reading in Mandarin during a Science lesson while his teacher Tam Kai Shan looks on at SJK(C) Kampung Baru Paroi. — IZZRAFIQ ALIAS/The Star
