1M'SIA TRAINING SCHEME OFFERS NEW HOPE TO UNEMPLOYED GRADUATES

KUALA LUMPUR, June 2 (Bernama) -- The 1Malaysia Training Scheme introduced
by the government to give unemployed graduates the opportunity to enhance their
marketability has been well received by various quaters.

Malaysian Association of Youth Clubs secretary-general Ahmad Ansor Mohd
Rivai Batubara said through the scheme, graduates would be better equipped to
try new fields.

"A number of them have been unemployed for between four and five years. This
is a second chance for them to upgrade themselves. When they have a job, they
will be able to support their families and repay their study loans," he told
Bernama.

Prime Minister Najib Razak launched the scheme last night.

Ahmad said he also hoped that more corporations would paticipate in the
scheme by providing training to such graduates.

Meanwhile, Malaysian Youth Council president Maliki Rapiee said the scheme
would "value-add" the unemployed graduates because besides possessing a degree,
they would also acquire new skills from the industrial training that they
underwent in government-linked companies (GLCs)and corporations

He said the scheme showed the government's concern for the plight of
unemployed graduates and it was now left to the companies to fulfill their
corporate responsibilities through the scheme.