MALAYSIA’S future cannot be measured by the technology it possesses or the amount of investment flowing into the country alone, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said.
He said the real measure of a country’s progress was its people, particularly the knowledge they possessed, the skills they developed and the values that guided them.
Speaking at the WorldSkills Shanghai 2026 Conference, Anwar said this was why the government was strengthening TVET 2.0, including through closer ties between training institutions and industry.
He said the focus included fields such as artificial intelligence, semiconductors and renewable energy.
“We do not want our young people to merely become the workforce for change, but a generation that masters change and helps shape the direction and future of the country,” he said.
Anwar also had a message for the 22 young Malaysians competing in WorldSkills Shanghai, saying their participation was about more than winning.
“I am proud of you. What we are competing for is not merely victory, but the courage to compete with the best in the world, learn from the experience and return home determined to raise the quality and standards of our country,” he said.
Anwar shared the remarks in a post on his official Facebook page.
He said technical skills must also be accompanied by strong values, arguing that development without them could result in progress that was uneven and ultimately failed to benefit society as a whole.
“Skills without values will result in lopsided and unbalanced progress,” he said.
He said Malaysia wanted a generation capable of handling new technologies while remaining conscious of justice, human dignity and their responsibilities towards their families, society and country.
“True progress is when technology uplifts people and values, and not the other way around,” he said.
Malaysia is represented by 22 young competitors at the WorldSkills event in Shanghai, which has brought together skilled participants from more than 65 countries and regions.
Anwar is in China for a three-day working visit covering Shanghai and Hangzhou. – September 23, 2026
