KUALA LUMPUR (Dec 20): The Ministry of Human Resources has discontinued the Human Resource Development Corp’s (HRD Corp) controversial Skills Passport programme, following allegations that the contract was being pushed through without the necessary board approvals, and its non-compliance with required procurement procedures.
Newly appointed Human Resources Minister Steven Sim said he had instructed HRD Corp to discontinue the programme, which has been described in news reports as a skills database cum search engine, after careful consideration. "This project has been delayed for over a year and is no longer suitable for implementation," Sim said in a statement on Wednesday.
The programme came under scrutiny after a Ministry of Finance (MOF) representative who sat on the board of HRD Corp reportedly raised concerns about the project's non-compliance with procurement procedures, and called for its termination.
Datuk Rosli Yaakub, who is a deputy secretary of governance and monitoring under MOF’s corporate government investment companies division, raised the concerns in a letter dated April 12 to HRD Corp's chairman Datuk R Rajasekharan and chief executive Datuk Shahul Hameed Dawood.
Among the concerns Rosli raised were the potential financial implications of between RM53 million and RM159.47 million on HRD Corp to roll out the programme, and that HRD Corp had already signed a contract with Neomindz, according to a news portal that cited the letter. HRD Corp was said to have agreed to pay Neomindz RM12 for each use of the Skills Passport programme.
HRD Corp, however, slammed the allegations as “false and defamatory” in a statement issued on May 7. It also said it was “doing everything possible” to resolve the matter quickly.
A national HR policy to enhance worker welfare
Sim also announced that the ministry will be drafting the country's first National Human Resources Policy that will serve as the guide to enhance worker welfare, and to improve skills and productivity.
The policy also aims to prepare the labour market for challenges like the advancement of digital technology, the green economy, job mismatches, an ageing population, and the pursuit of decent work, in line with the Economy Madani framework.
At the same time, Sim said he had instructed the ministry to implement the Progressive Wage Policy's pilot project as soon as possible, after the Dewan Rakyat passed the Progressive Wage White Paper in November.
"The ministry will work closely with the Ministry of Economy to implement this pilot project and other efforts to reform the national labour market," he said.
Sim also announced that he had appointed trade union activist Chee Yeeh Ceeu as a special officer, in the hope that the appointment will allow closer involvement of workers in policymaking.