FEATURE
INGENIEUR
Talent Needs
for the
Automotive
Industry
By M Madani Sahari, CEO Malaysia
Automotive Industry
T
he Malaysia Automotive Institute (MAI), is
an agency established under the Ministry of
International Trade and Industry (MITI). The
roles of MAI are to harness and mobilize a collective
effort amongst the automotive stakeholders in
planning and implementing an industrial strategy
towards a common direction at the national level.
In addition, it is to promote collaboration, strategic
alliances, partnerships and linkages for technology
and market outreach, including serving as a focal
point. MAI also undertakes strategic research
and studies as inputs to policy advice to the
Government through the combined effort of the
public and private sectors. It promotes capacity
and capability building of the local automotive
industry in order to eventually transform it into a
globally competitive sector.
The National Automotive Policy (NAP) 2014
unveiled in January 2014 aims to make Malaysia
the hub for energy-efficient vehicles (EEVs) by
2020. The objectives of the NAP 2014 are to;
●●
promote a competitive and sustainable
domestic automotive industry,
●●
make Malaysia the regional automotive hub
for energy efficient vehicles (EEVs),
●●
promote a sustainable level of economic
value added and enhance domestic
capabilities,
●●
promote increase in exports of vehicles,
parts and components in manufacturing
and after sales sectors,
●●
enhance competitive participation of
Bumiputera companies in the domestic
automotive industry including the after
sales sector,
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complete the ecosystem of domestic
automotive industry in manufacturing and
after-sales sectors, and
●●
safeguard consumers’ interest by offering
safer and better quality products at
competitive prices.
In order to complement the execution of the
NAP 2014, one of the six roadmaps developed
by the MAI is the Malaysia Automotive Human
Capital Development Roadmap (MAHR). The
Human Capital development Roadmap outlines a
continuous plan towards developing a competent
workforce at every level within the automotive
industry. This roadmap also includes plans to
develop locally trained labour in the automated
production of hybrid components for engines
and transmissions. This will assist in reducing
dependency on less skilled foreign workers and
consequently produce better locally skilled workers
●●