KUALA LUMPUR: The Human Resources Development Corporation (HRD Corp) has collected a record-breaking levy of RM2.2 billion last year compared to RM1.82 billion in 2022.
Human Resources Minister Steven Sim said the levy collected was considered the highest in HRD Corp's history since its establishment in 1993.
He said other than the levy, it also approved financial assistance worth up to RM1.78 billion and approval of over 2.2 million training places that benefitted the nation.
"For comparison, HRD Corp disbursed over RM728 million in training funds and supported 1.15 million training places in 2022.
"The Human Resources Ministry is committed to providing quality training programmes to all Malaysians to increase productivity and improve the economy.
"This is in line with our 3K focus on enhancing Welfare (Kebajikan), Skills (Kemahiran), and Productivity (Keberhasilan)," he said in a speech during the Chinese New Year celebrations at the Malaysia International Trade and Exhibition Centre (Mitec), here, today.
Sim said the ministry will go all out in providing training programmes, emphasising skills training to gap the productivity.
"We want the employers to pay us the levy with a smiling face because they know it will earn them back with an increased productivity of the workers.
"This is (made possible) with the mandate given to HRD Corp to provide training programmes to all layers of society, especially micro small and medium-sized enterprises and individuals in rural areas.
"It is to ensure no Malaysians are deprived of the opportunity for training and development."
He called for HRD Corp to push and promote Malaysia's skills training sector to reach a prestigious level.
"I hope that it will continue forging partnerships with other stakeholders so that the country will one day achieve Ivy League status in training and development," he said.