PUTRAJAYA: Former juvenile delinquents and minor crime offenders will have a better chance to reassimilate into society, says Youth and Sports Minister Syed Saddiq Abdul Rahman (pix).
This follows the signing of agreements with five organisations to forge better cooperation between the public and the private sectors in Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET).
“For those who have been categorised as Individuals Under Observation, Henry Gurney leavers, we will give them a special route for them to be trained so in the end, despite them having a record, they would be trained, re-skilled and up-skilled.” he said after launching the SKIL 19’ Skills Symposium at the Youth and Sports Ministry Podium hall yesterday.
“In the end they will be placed in companies that we share a relationship with for the TVET programme,” he added.
The signatories were Volvo Malaysia Sdn Bhd, Sapura Secured Technologies Companies, Malaysia Industry Association, Malaysian Resources Corporation Berhad and the Prisons Department.
He added this initiative is in tandem with his ministry’s other programmes, namely the MyFuture Youth and MyFuture Youth Plus which aimed at offering reactive programmes for former offenders, and proactive programmes for youth who are classified in the risky category.
“For those who are in danger of falling into the group of high risk youths, we will put them through an early intervention programme with special routes into TVET courses.
“There will be long and short courses, and in the end they will be offered a job,” he said.
The Muar MP revealed that the Chief Secretary to the Government is currently working on amendments to public service requirements that will give former offenders a chance to enter the civil service.
He stressed on the importance of breaking their cycle of crime and to offer them a second chance to assimilate back into and be a useful member of a developing society.
“This is important because if we see for those who have been jailed before, and those from Henry Gurney, about 50 to 60% are youth, and a majority of them have committed minor crimes.
“But, because they don’t have targeted assistance, and if we sideline them, they will go back into the community and society where their family also does not take them seriously, and not have a job. There will be no direction in their life.
“If we (the government) is also not willing to help out, in the end they will go back to a life of crime,” he said.
Syed Saddiq added that the negative perception of TVET should stop.
“If we see in Germany, the youth there are educated from a young age to understand that TVET is on par with graduates from public universities. In Malaysia, we have to instil this culture into the hearts and minds of the youth, and also the parents, as this is important to ensure that TVET will always be one of the most important growth sectors in the new Malaysia,“ he said.
