Malaysian employees advised to enhance their IT skills

Kuala Lumpur, Feb 21 (Asia Pulse) - Employees in the banking and financial sector should enhance their Information Technology (IT) skills to be competitive. Human Resources Minister Dr Fong Chan Onn said.

"I believe that when employers decide to implement restructuring exercises, they can absorb such employees into other sections," he said when commenting on the current merger exercise to set up 10 banking groups in the country.

Speaking to reporters after witnessing the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Multimedia University (MMU) and Intel Malaysia in Cyberjaya near here, Dr Fong did not rule out the possibility that some workers might be retrenched. "But their number will be small and I am confident that the retrenched workers will find employment, given the country's strong economy," he said. Dr Fong said the ministry would monitor the situation and ensure that those retrenched would received appropriate compensation. "The ministry will try to help them to the best of its ability," he said.

At the signing, MMU was represented by its president Prof Dr Ghauth Jasmon while Intel Malaysia by its vice-president Wong Siew Hai. Under the MoU, Intel will contribute RM1 million in computer software, a computer lab and scholarships to the university students.