STRATEGIC ALLIANCE MEMORANDUM (SAM) BETWEEN JAPAN GRADUATE’S ASSOCIATION OF MALAYSIA AND PENANG CHUNG HWA CONFUCIAN ALUMNI ASSOCIATION

SPEECH BY YAB TUAN CHOW KON YEOW

THE CHIEF MINISTER OF PENANG

STRATEGIC ALLIANCE MEMORANDUM (SAM) BETWEEN JAPAN GRADUATE’S ASSOCIATION

OF MALAYSIA AND PENANG CHUNG HWA

CONFUCIAN ALUMNI ASSOCIATION

03 OCTOBER 2022

Mr. Inui Hiroyuki

Acting Consul General of Japan in Penang

 

Dato’ Goh Teng Whoo

President of Penang Chung Hwa Confucian School Alumni Association

Mr. Gary Tang Kok Lian

President of Japan Graduate’s Association of Malaysia

Mr. So Takayoshi

Secretary-General of Penang Japanese Association

All Committee members of Penang Chung Hwa Confucian School Alumni Association and Japan Graduate’s Association of Malaysia

Distinguished guests,

Members of the media,

Ladies and gentlemen,

A very good morning to all.

First and foremost, I would like to thank the Penang Chung Hwa Confucian School Alumni Association as well as the Japan Graduate’s Association of Malaysia for having me here today.

I recall being invited to visit CHCA's newly renovated premises about 5 months ago. On that day, I discovered that CHCA had established a fund to provide financial aid to deserving students from their school and children of CHCA members to encourage them to do better. As a result, I contributed RM15,000 to this fund, and I am happy to hear that CHCA was able to raise RM154,000 in total on that day. I would like to use this opportunity to thank all CHCA members and alumni for their efforts to this worthy cause.

Ladies and gentlemen,

Similarly, I am delighted to be present today to witness yet another great initiative, which is the signing of a ‘Strategic Alliance Memorandum’ (SAM) between the Penang Chung Hwa Confucian School Alumni Association (CHCA) and the Japan Graduate's Association of Malaysia (JAGAM).

The main objective of today’s SAM signing is to develop and foster mutual understanding and a working relationship between CHCA and JAGAM, in order to establish a "bridge" for Malaysian students to study abroad in Japan, and to promote Japanese culture in the northern region of Malaysia.

I was made to understand that both CHCA and JAGAM will play their respective roles in providing the necessary advice and assistance to students in terms of university selection, securing scholarships, cultural adaptation, and, most importantly, career placement when they return to Malaysia after graduation.

Recognizing that talent is our most precious asset, the State Government, through InvestPenang, Penang Skills Development Corporation, and its other agencies, is always dedicated to strengthening and broadening Penang's talent pool.  This is carried out through a variety of initiatives namely the affordable housing for knowledge workers, Penang Internship Subsidy Programme, My Penang, My Workplace campaign, the Penang Future Foundation scholarship, and collaborations with industry players, TVET institutions and institutions of higher learning, among others.

In short, Penang’s strong talent pool is definitely one the key competitive edges that the state values and will continue to uphold by upskilling, attracting and retaining talent in Penang. As such, I am glad that this initiative today compliments the state’s efforts in promoting and supporting talent development in Penang.

Not to mention, it also in line with the nation’s Look East Policy (LEP). Since it was established in 1982 with the goal of fostering social and economic advancement in Malaysia by learning from Japan, this strong bilateral partnership has led to the study and training of more than 26,000 Malaysians in the Land of the Rising Sun.

Ladies and gentlemen,

Japan, has been a prominent foreign investor in Penang since the 1970s. In fact, 2 out of the 8 samurais that launched Penang’s industrial journey originated from Japan, namely Clarion Malaysia and Hitachi. Since then, millions of ringgits and cutting-edge technologies have been brought to Penang, making it one of the top states in Malaysia in terms of economic, science, and technology development, while uplifting the skills and abilities of our local labour.

Penang is currently home to more than 120 Japanese MNCs, including over 70 of them in the manufacturing industry. As a result of these companies establishing their facilities here, the ongoing cultural exchange between Malaysians and Japanese not only encourages mutual understanding but also has countless spillover effects between the peoples of these two countries.

I am certain that embracing the Japanese work ethic, moral principles, and progressive norms will provide us with a new paradigm. We have nothing to lose and everything to gain by adopting best practises from Japan, which is known around the world for its rapid modernization and innovative advancement.

Having said that, I am hopeful that the SAM signed today will serve as a critical link between the two countries as we enhance and extend educational and career development opportunities for young Malaysians, particularly those in Penang.

Last but not least, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to the Penang Chung Hwa Confucian School Alumni Association and Japan Graduate's Association of Malaysia for this meaningful initiative and I wish you both every success.

Thank you.