05/12/2025

FRIDAY | DEC 5, 2025

3

Job market looking up for Malaysian graduates

Local coalitions resonate with Sabahans: Analyst

Ű BY IKHWAN ZULKAFLEE newsdesk@thesundaily.com

PETALING JAYA: Sabah’s political trajectory is increasingly mirroring the transformation seen in Sarawak, in which state-based coalitions have solidified their dominance and parties from Peninsular Malaysia have been steadily pushed to the margins. Universiti Malaya socio-political analyst Prof Datuk Dr Awang Azman Awang Pawi said the shift reflects the image of local identity politics once dominated by peninsula-based parties, including Barisan Nasional (BN), which long regarded Sabah as its electoral “safe deposit”. He said peninsula-based parties are now struggling to build meaningful traction in Sabah. In contrast, homegrown coalitions such as Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) and Warisan continue to resonate strongly with the state electorate, even if neither has managed to command outright dominance. “Since the fragmentation of Umno after 2018 and the political turmoil that followed, Sabah has increasingly mirrored Sarawak’s model. Ethnonationalist sentiment has grown stronger, and peninsular parties have become the early victims of this rising localism,” he told theSun . He said the deepening shift towards state-centric politics has placed GRS and Warisan at the forefront of political contestation, adding that their longer-term viability would depend on internal cohesion rather than external competition. “GRS and Warisan are expected to continue competing with each other for a long time. However, any party would be hindered if internal crises arise from struggles for power and positions. Therefore, the survival of both depends on the stability and loyalty within their own leadership.” Singapore Institute of International Affairs senior fellow Dr Oh Ei Sun said the evolution towards localised politics has contributed to a fragmented landscape, in which no single party or coalition has the ability to secure decisive control of the state assembly. “As a result, political instability, especially in the form of shifting alliances, would continue for quite some time.” He added that with coalition politics becoming the norm rather than the exception, Sabah should expect frequent realignments and post-election negotiations to determine who forms the government. He also said this would shape Sabah politics for several electoral cycles as local parties continue to consolidate influence while peninsular coalitions attempt to stay relevant. The results of the 17th Sabah state election saw GRS clinch 29 of the 73 seats contested, followed by Warisan with 25 seats. BN secured six, independents won five, while United Progressive Kinabalu Organisation secured three. Parti Solidariti Tanah Airku won two seats while Parti Kesejahteraan Demokratik Masyarakat, Pakatan Harapan (PH) and Perikatan Nasional each captured one seat. Analysts say Sabah’s political recalibration closely resembles the path taken by Sarawak after the 2018 general election. Once a dominant bloc within BN, Sarawak’s four major component parties, Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu, Parti Rakyat Sarawak, Sarawak United Peoples’ Party and Progressive Democratic Party quit BN on June 12, 2018 and formed Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS). Their exit came in the wake of BN’s historic defeat in GE14 and was driven by concerns that remaining in BN would tarnish Sarawak’s political standing, particularly as BN was weighed down by the 1MDB scandal. Leaving BN allowed Sarawak leaders to distance themselves from negative federal baggage, strengthen their bargaining position with the then PH-led federal government and present GPS as a purely Sarawak-first coalition free from Peninsular Malaysia interference.

PETALING JAYA: The job market is looking friendly to Malaysia’s new graduates, who are increasingly joining the workforce, with public universities, polytechnics, and community colleges reporting employment rates almost 95% in 2024, according to the Higher Education Ministry. Speaking at the Dewan Negara yesterday, its minister Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abd Kadir said 99,503 graduates from public universities secured jobs, while 5,343 remained unemployed. He said polytechnic graduates fared slightly better, with 98.8% being employed, leaving only 199 without work, adding that community college graduates also saw a 98.8% employment rate, with just 55 students unemployed. “The ministry remains committed to continuous efforts to address graduate related issues through a comprehensive approach, including focusing on talent development, industry needs and national economic growth. “Emphasis is also placed on initiatives to enhance graduate value, including strengthening the TVET ecosystem and ensuring that the direction of higher education aligns with market demand.” He said the key initiatives by the ministry to boost graduate employability include: 0 skills training & upskilling: programmes for final-year students and graduates to enhance existing skills and learn new ones; 0 EXCEL programmes: experiential and competency-based learning integrating industry, community and research; 0 industry partnerships: work-based learning with companies such as Intel, Nvidia, Huawei and Turkish Aerospace Industries, giving students hands-on experience in real-world settings; and 0 strategic collaboration: synergy with platforms such as the National Employment Council and Industry Advisory Committees to address job-matching and skill gaps. “There are also programmes to strengthen entrepreneurship among students through action plans implemented by the ministry via universities and polytechnics.” Ű BY QIRANA NABILLA MOHD RASHIDI newsdesk@thesundaily.com o Employment rate for 2024 at nearly 95%, says Higher Education Ministry Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) is stepping up its enforcement on racial content online, reporting 1,583 posts between Jan 1 and Nov 30, with 1,066 of them taken down by service providers. In a written reply to the Dewan Rakyat yesterday, the Communications Ministry said content removal actions are carried out in accordance with existing legal frameworks to ensure freedom of expression is not misused, regardless of an individual’s or entity’s background or political affiliation. “This approach helps maintain a balance between individual rights and public interest for the common good. “With regard to the criteria raised, the actions taken by MCMC are in line with its responsibilities and requirements under the

Zambry said the ministry would focus on transforming higher education from a hands-on approach to a holistic minds-on approach to better prepare graduates for the workforce. – BERNAMAPIC

Education Plan 2026-2035, the ministry would focus on transforming higher education from a hands-on approach to a holistic minds-on approach with the aim of better preparing graduates for the workforce. Responding to remarks by Senator Datuk Prof Dr Mohammad Redzuan Othman that some graduates take unrelated jobs, such as engineering graduates becoming e-hailing drivers for higher income, Zambry said the ministry plans to align graduate numbers with market demand and address skill mismatches through bridging and reframing programmes. He also said graduates in humanities or social sciences are being guided to highlight marketable skills such as research, writing and communication, while STEM education now incorporates the arts, transforming STEM into STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics) to develop balanced, holistic thinkers. “Adaptive and transferable skills are also emphasised through work-based learning programmes, especially in the final year, ensuring students acquire competencies relevant to the job market.” under Section 233 of Act 588 for misusing network services or applications, including social media, to create and disseminate false content or content that is excessively offensive with the intention, among others, to harass or annoy others.” To enable MCMC to conduct reviews and further investigations into such issues, official complaints may be lodged via the complaint portal at https://aduan.mcmc.gov.my or written complaints submitted to any MCMC state office. Investigative actions relating to 3R issues fall under the responsibility of the police, in accordance with legal provisions such as the Sedition Act 1948, Act 574 and Act 588, whereas prosecution decisions are made by the Attorney-General’s Chambers. – By Qiranna Nabilla Mohd Rashidi

Zambry said universities review courses every three to five years to ensure they remain relevant, with traditional programmes such as civil and electrical engineering now being integrated across multiple disciplines to adapt to the global shift from hands-on to minds-on learning. He was responding to a question posed by Senator Musoddak Ahmad, who asked why, despite the initiatives, graduates continue to pursue programmes that do not match emerging industries, high-level job matching remains limited and talent continues to leave the country due to a lack of domestic opportunity. “This is a question we often discuss when addressing talent and the so-called ‘brain drain’, which happens when skilled individuals leave the country. “At the same time, we need to examine the issue from a broader perspective. “One issue is that some courses are lagging behind, which requires attention. “While we have qualified professors, universities have received feedback that certain courses remain on offer despite low demand.” He said under the National Higher provisions of the Communications and Multimedia Act (Act 588) to ensure that information is disseminated responsibly, without spreading false information or hate speech. “The measures also aim to protect the integrity of the constitutional monarchy and democratic institutions from any attempts to incite hatred or contempt.” The ministry also said it takes seriously the spread of content involving race, religion and royalty (3R) sentiments by irresponsible parties, as such content could threaten national unity and harmony. Accordingly, the Communications Ministry, through MCMC, works closely with police to enforce Act 588 as well as other laws such as the Penal Code (Act 574). “Action may be taken against any individual

MCMC steps up enforcement on racial content PETALING JAYA: The Malaysian