Japan keen to deepen ties with Malaysia under Look East Policy
15 Dec 2022
Malaysia has the potential to become a regional hub for vocational and technical training to people of other countries in the region, says Japan’s Ambassador to Malaysia Takahashi Katsuhiko.
In recognising this, he said Japan is keen to work with Malaysia to strengthen the country’s capacity building under the Look East Policy (LEP) framework.
After 40 years of success, he said it was time both sides explored new strategy to expand the LEP and its benefits further.
“Malaysia is now becoming so developed compared to 40 years ago when the LEP started. So one thing we want to work together is to use the vocational training institutions here to provide training not only for Malaysians but also people of other countries,” he told Bernama when met here, recently.
LEP, which was introduced in 1982 by the fourth prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, has been the cornerstone of Malaysia-Japan relations.
The policy which aimed to emulate exemplary Japanese work culture as well as technology expertise in developing the country, had benefited at least 26,000 Malaysians, who upon their return from further studies in Japan, contributed in various fields and played important roles as a bridge to connect the two countries.
In the human resources sector, Malaysia and Japan under the LEP had partnered to form two training institutions, namely Centre for Instructor and Advanced Skill Training (CIAST) in Shah Alam, Selangor and the Japan Malaysia Technical Institute (JMTI) in Penang, in 1983 and 1998 respectively, with the objective to equip locals with vocational, technical and industry expertise.
“We have no reason to slow down, rather, there are more that we can do for the sake of the two countries,” Takahashi said.
Source : The Star
