KUALA LUMPUR: Kolaborasi antara pemain industri dan pihak universiti mampu menyelesaikan masalah kebergantungan pekerja asing yang sedang dialami oleh negara ketika ini.

Ketua Pegawai Eksekutif (CEO) PKT Logistic Group Sdn Bhd, Datuk Seri Dr Michael Tio berkata ketika ini industri banyak mengambil pekerja asing kerana tidak mahu berkolaborasi dengan universiti dalam melahirkan tenaga kerja yang diperlukan.

Katanya, banyak syarikat yang mengambil jalan mudah dan murah dengan tidak mengambil inisiatif untuk membangunkan bekalan modal insan bagi memajukan perusahaan mereka.

"Hasil kolaborasi dengan pelbagai universiti dan politeknik tempatan pada tahun lalu, kami mendapat perolehan sebanyak RM1 bilion dengan 2,000 kakitangan, di mana semuanya adalah warga tempatan.

"Kami menjadi contoh syarikat yang tidak menggunakan pekerja asing dan usaha ini sudah kami lakukan sejak 10 tahun lalu," katanya.

Beliau berkata demikian pada sesi forum Wacana Strategi Kementerian Pendidikan Tinggi (KPT) di Pusat Dagangan Dunia Kuala Lumpur (WTC KL), di sini, hari ini.

Program selama dua hari bermula semalam bertujuan menyelaraskan semula strategi selain merangka hala tuju strategik KPT, mencadangkan program atau inisiatif serta membincangkan isu-isu strategik berkaitan KPT dan cadangan penyelesaian bagi tahun ini.

Pelaksanaan objektif wacana ini diterjemahkan dalam beberapa sesi pembentangan dan forum secara interaktif oleh pembentang, ahli panel serta pakar dalam bidang masing-masing.

Hadir sama Menteri Pendidikan Tinggi, Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir.

Pada forum itu, Michael turut mengingatkan industri bergerak lebih pantas berbanding subjek yang diajar di universiti.

Katanya, adalah penting untuk pemain industri duduk dalam panel penasihat dan menjadi sebahagian daripada anggota semakan kukurikulum di universiti bagi mengemas kini keperluan industri.

"Perkara itu bertujuan membolehkan universiti membekalkan semula graduan kepada industri.

"Malaysia mempunyai banyak tenaga kerja, namun pelajar di universiti mempelajari subjek dan mata pelajaran yang tidak relevan dengan industri. Sebab itu, lepas tamat pengajian, mereka tidak dapat pekerjaan," katanya.

Pada masa sama, Michael turut menyarankan pihak universiti menjalin lebih banyak kerjasama dengan sektor perusahaan kecil dan sederhana (SME) untuk program pemindahan serta perkongsian ilmu dalam membangunkan negara.

Katanya, ketika ini pihak universiti lebih banyak mengejar perusahaan besar dalam hal membabitkan perkongsian ilmu dan latihan amali.

Menurutnya, syarikat besar tidak mempunyai masa untuk memberikan tumpuan yang lebih kepada pelajar yang melakukan latihan amali.

"Perusahaan besar juga tidak mempunyai banyak masa untuk berkolaborasi dengan pelbagai universiti. Mereka mungkin hanya akan bekerjasama dengan satu universiti.

"Perkara ini menyebabkan kita tidak dapat melihat hasil yang diinginkan. Mengambil contoh PETRONAS, di mana semua universiti dan pelajar mahu masuk ke PETRONAS, tetapi berapa banyak yang mereka mampu ambil. Oleh itu, pilih SME yang ingin memajukan perusahaan mereka ke tahap yang lain," katanya.

Michael berkata banyak syarikat SME yang sedang berkembang dan pihak universiti perlu mengadakan perbincangan bagi mengetahui jumlah pekerja diperlukan dalam tempoh 10 tahun akan datang.

"Pihak universiti perlu melihat gambaran besar untuk memposisikan pelajar mereka di masa hadapan," katanya.

GIANT hypermarket contributed RM100,000 to help families in Klang, Selangor and surrounding areas with post-flood recovery.

The money was handed over to MyKasih Foundation for distribution to affected families through their MyKad.

Each family will receive RM100.

“We are all saddened by the damage the recent floods have caused,” said DFI Retail Group South-East Asia chief executive officer Chris Bush.

“Our hearts go out to everyone whose loved ones, homes and livelihoods have been impacted.

“We hope this contribution will be able to give those affected, the means to quickly purchase the essentials needed.

“This flood has also impacted a number of our Giant team members and we will be providing assistance to them and their families such as financial aid, temporary accommodation, food and other essentials.

“These are challenging times, but we will continue, as we always have, to serve our community and team members as best we can,” said Bush.

Food and essentials

PKT Logistics Group distributed food, cleaning tools, daily essentials and electrical appliances at Pangsapuri Valencia in Taman Sri Muda, Shah Alam.

A total of 160 households on the ground floor were hard hit by the floods, leaving them without electricity.

As a corporate in the vicinity of Taman Sri Muda, PKT Logistics Group also deployed its emergency response team to deliver dinner to residents.

ONE company has gone the extra mile to ensure its employees, visitors and students feel safer by installing more than 300 nano air purification system units at its premises nationwide.

“The ceiling-mounted device uses Nano X technology that inhibits viruses and bacteria from spreading,” said PKT Logistics Sdn Bhd group chief executive and managing director Datuk Michael Tio.

“Our CSR is clear; we make our profits responsibly by protecting our 1,500 employees as well.

“All our nine PKT offices nationwide that have air-conditioning are equipped with this system.

“We want our staff to feel comfortable returning to the office,” he said, highlighting that the system was also installed in PKT’s rented premises for third-party suppliers as well as warehouses.

“As long as our staff is there, we will protect all of them,” he added.

Tio said all classrooms and common areas at PKT’s wholly-owned Peninsula Higher Education Group premises, which houses its Peninsula College in three campuses, were also equipped with the system. The Lighthouse Campus and City Campus are in Klang Valley while The Ship Campus is in Batu Kawan, Penang.

“We hope this will assure parents when their children return to study next month, especially when in common areas such as canteens as well as toilets,” said Tio.

He said that prior to installing the system, staff were not allowed to eat in groups.

“We told them to do their work and go home.

“If they had to eat, they could only do so at their own workspace.”

He said the company took two weeks to complete the installation before allowing staff to return to the office.

He added that under PKT’s 5-Point Recovery Plan for a safer work environment, only fully vaccinated staff could work in the office, while those unvaccinated were required to work from home.

The other four points are adhering to SOP by wearing a mask at all times, observing physical distancing when talking and sanitising hands after touching objects and surfaces; implementing test, trace and quarantine methods in line with Health Ministry directives; avoiding crossing zones or moving between different PKT premises; and implementing continuous monitoring and assessment by the PKT recovery management team.

“If booster shots are recommended, PKT will pay for all staff to get the jabs if the government does not provide them free, especially for those with comorbidities and those aged above 60,” said Tio.

PKT Logistics Group donated more than RM120,000 worth of groceries to over 1,500 families in Shah Alam and Klang, Selangor.

The aid, distributed last month, was to help reduce the burden faced by families who were unable to work or run their business during the enhanced movement control order period.

Aid was also channelled through a dedicated EMCO Honesty Corner located at The One Logistics Hub in Shah Alam.

The corner enabled families who required assistance to drive up to the dedicated booth to collect aid.

Among the groceries donated were rice, eggs, sugar, instant noodles and cooking oil.

PKT Logistics Group chief executive officer and managing director Datuk Seri Michael Tio said the contribution was a small way to support the community that it operated in.

“We will never forget the generosity and kindness shown by the community when we first set up our operations in Shah Alam in 2008,” he said.

The aid was initially distributed from PKT’s One Logistics Hub.

However, due to the overwhelming response, PKT decided to channel aid to places of worship such as mosques and temples in Bukit Naga, Bukit Kemuning, Jalan Kebun, Johan Setia and Sentosa.

Those who require food can get in touch with the mosque and temple representatives to arrange for collection.

“Channelling aid through places of worship helped us reach out to a wider group as their representatives are better informed about those who require aid or missed out on the opportunity to collect aid from our EMCO Honesty Corner,” said Tio.

Aside from food aid, PKT Logistics Group is also actively hiring for various positions across Malaysia.

Those who are interested can apply at the PKT Talent Hunter Facebook group.