Malaysia bolsters SME workers’ safety training ahead of Asean summit
KUALA LUMPUR – Malaysia’s Ministry of Human Resources (KESUMA) will kick off a workplace safety training programme next month where workers from small and midsize enterprises (SMEs) stand to benefit at no extra cost to employers.
The training is part of a larger initiative to develop the skills of occupational safety and health coordinators across Malaysian workplaces, HR Minister Steven Sim announced.
Promoting workplace safety among Malaysian SMEs
Some 10,000 SME workers are expected to take part in the free training organised by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). The programme is designed to help smaller businesses with limited resources to receive the type of training mandated under the country’s Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA) 2022.
“As we know, the OSHA Act requires employers with five or more employees to appoint or employ a trained and registered OSH-C,” Sim said, as quoted by The Sun.
“Smaller SMEs might not have the resources to meet this requirement which is why we have launched this programme to give free training for up to 10,000 representatives from SMEs,” he explained.
Sim said the government aims to ensure “every workplace, no matter how small, is safe for all who work there”.
Employers who wish to enrol their staff can sign up through various helplines or in person at NIOSH offices starting next week.
Malaysia’s Asean chairmanship
News of the initiative comes months before Malaysia takes on hosting duties at the Asean Safety and Health Workers Summit 2025 in August as part of the country’s Asean chairmanship this year.
“This is a positive development. Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has articulated his vision for Malaysia as Asean chair, striving for excellence in all fields,” Sim said in a report by Bernama.
The HR Ministry said Malaysia will create an avenue for Asean members to come together and “think as one region facing economic challenges”.
Sim views the Asean as an important talent hub with a large population capable of developing expertise in semiconductors, electric vehicles and robotics, among other fields. He urged countries in the region to sharpen the competencies of their workforce considering how investments in emerging technology are increasing.
“With new conditions emerging from European countries and the United States regarding the green agenda (green economy), is our workforce prepared to take on roles such as programmers, engineers, technicians, or experts in the field?” the minister said.
Tackling regional labour concerns
Malaysia will also take the Asean chairmanship role as an opportunity to discuss urgent concerns, including the establishment of social safety nets for workers and labour migration across the region.
“In this context, Malaysia, through KESUMA, will organise an international social security conference. This platform will not only bring together voices from Asean but also from around the world to explore trends in social security protection systems,” Sim said.
“For example, we will examine how to support workers in the gig economy and enhance their social security.”
In terms of labour migration, Sim plans to call a special meeting with regional counterparts to recommend more transparent protocols for monitoring migration and managing border security, especially since Malaysia is among the top destinations of migrant workers in the region.
With Malaysia serving as Asean chair, the conferences and meetings this year will centre on the theme: “Inclusion and Sustainability”.