By Asmahanim Amir
Pix Shahiddan Saidi

BANGI, 13 Jun  2016 – The National University of Malaysia (UKM) and four other public universities have been praised for helping break down ethnic barriers in the private sector workplace.

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, Tan Sri Datuk Panglima Joseph Kurup said The Industrial Training Unity Programme (PLIP),  which is now in the second series, can strengthen and consolidate unity among bumiputera students with non-bumiputera workers and employers.

He said through the PLIP, students can interact with executives and staff from other ethnicities, thus fostering cultural and religious understanding.

The five universities taking part are UKM, Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM), Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM), International Islamic University of Malaysia (IIUM) and Universiti Kuala Lumpur (UniKL).

“Efforts of Non-bumiputera employers to accept bumiputera students to work with them, give positive guidance to foster unity and cross-cultural understanding  among students, workers and employers of all races, have been accomplished.

“The willingness of bumiputera students to work at non-bumiputera companies allows them to get experience, skills and interact in diversity,” he said.

He was speaking at the singing of the second series PLIP Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Department of National Unity and Integration (JPNIN), five universities, Associated Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry of Malaysia (ACCCIM) and Malaysia Retail Chain Association (MRCA) at the Malaysian Institute of Aviation Technology (MIAT), Dengkil on  May 18.

He said the two way relationship can avoid the negative mindset and suspicions of  non-bumiputera companies which purportedly are not interested in hiring  bumiputeras to work in their company.

“This situation could not only lead to misunderstanding and prejudice, but it could hinder the economic development of the country if there is no effort to deal with it,”  he said.

He pointed out that the programme not only brings prosperity, but also optimizes  the young workers to increase national productivity.

“I hope the PLIP can be extended to Government Linked Companies,  which have more bumiputera workers,  to accept non-bumiputera students to do their industrial training,” he added.

Meanwhile, Deputy Vice Chancellor (Industry and Community Partnership), Prof Dato’ Dr Imran Ho Abdullah said UKM will monitor the impact of the programme.

“For me it is a good industrial training programme because it helps in enhancing unity in our country. We will give good cooperation to companies which take part.

He said for starters, students taking part in the programme consists of students from the Faculty of Islamic Studies and the Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities.

“We will mobilise the faculties to select students through a database and also seek the companies from a list which are available to participate in the industrial training,” he stressed.