RECENTLY, Pontian MP Ahmad Maslan raised concern over the growing number of citizens falling into the B40 group, pointing out that 68% of Malaysian workers possess qualifications no higher than the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM).

He proposed that more colleges be opened and entrepreneurship programmes for students from Form 1 be introduced to expose them to business skills, instead of spending RM15 billion a year on fuel subsidies that benefit those with more cars.

Malaysian households with monthly median income of below RM4,850 are classified under the bottom 40% (B40). Those in the middle 40% (M40) earn between RM4,850 and RM11,000 while household incomes of the top 20% (T20) are above RM11,000.

Malaysians with only SPM or lower are usually regarded as unskilled low-income workers, whereas those with diplomas or degrees are classified as skilled workers by the authorities such as the Human Resources Ministry and its agencies.

However, this is only true for those who have studied a licensed profession or pursued technical and vocational education and training. But the vast majority of diploma and degree holders studied academic programmes and are not trained to perform well in a specific job.

This explains the large number of unemployed and underemployed graduates in our country.

Most did not have a particular career in mind before and after their studies. They keep applying for a variety of jobs in different industries without the determination to excel at the workplace.

Academic qualifications may be needed to gain entry and secure high-paying positions in the public sector. But they are of little importance in the world of business and entrepreneurship that value performance and productivity, where all employees are expected to contribute.

For example, those who studied tourism in general instead of a specific sector may be jacks of all tourism trades but masters of none. Should they succeed in securing a job after graduation, they may be working under a colleague of the same age but with just SPM qualification.

Staff seniority is based not only on job experience but many other attributes such as willingness to learn, eagerness to excel, effective interpersonal communication skills, good habits and right attitude, practise discipline and integrity, taking responsibility and showing courtesy.

Most of these much-needed virtues are not inculcated in our tertiary institutions and, therefore, very much lacking in our local graduates. Instead of applying critical thinking skills towards solving real-world problems, the majority resort to plagiarism to gain academic qualifications.

In the latest internationally acclaimed Programme for International Student Assessment ranking, Malaysia was placed 48 out of 79 countries for mathematics, 49 for science and 57 for reading. Incidentally, China and Singapore scored first and second for all three categories.

Those with excellent SPM results but had to start working after finishing school to support themselves or their families could easily be groomed to develop their full potential. They are much more determined to prove themselves by excelling in work and rising to the top.

Apart from the many good virtues stated earlier, being multilingual would give them a further boost as this would expose them to different work cultures and business environment. Instead of being insular, much more could be learnt from different narratives and perspectives.

Unfortunately for me, I could only speak, read, write and dream in English. Although among the top scorers in Bahasa Malaysia in a primary school with majority of the pupils Malay, I lost interest in 1972 after a new spelling system was adopted by both Indonesia and Malaysia.

Being English educated, I could only read a few Chinese words and would have to struggle if I were to attempt to speak in Mandarin, Cantonese, Hokkien or Hakka. Between my four siblings and I, we communicated mostly in English.

Throughout my career spanning over five decades, English has served me well. Although with just SPM, I secured jobs easily in my first few attempts.

This was because I decided to work in the motor industry and applied for jobs without waiting for vacancies to be advertised.

In February 1969, I joined Champion Motors as workshop apprentice, left in April for higher pay in Federal Auto as store assistant and from August, for Tan Chong as workshop receptionist. Although given several increments within 18 months, I resigned to sell cars and insurance.

But it turned out to be disastrous for me selling Datsuns for a dealer in Klang and later BMC cars in Petaling Jaya. Being too playful and lacking in discipline, I was living hand to mouth selling life and general insurance until I joined the travel trade as a full-time tourist guide.

I later worked in the office and held various management positions. I left this tour company 19 years later after being offered the general manager’s position in a travel agency and assumed the same position when setting up five new tour, car rental and leasing companies for investors.

Throughout my career in the corporate sector, English has served me well as it was and still is the commercial language used by large and international businesses. Likewise, for training and consultancy services that I have ventured in recent years.

But if I had studied in a Chinese school, I would probably have become a wealthy towkay.

Those from Chinese schools may have difficulty getting jobs in companies where English is used, but many became successful businessmen after starting as apprentices in their trade.

I have witnessed young or poor mechanics and panel beaters driving their own luxury cars within a decade, more so after their workshops are appointed by insurance companies or motor distributors. Likewise, for those working in shops selling vehicle spare parts and components.

Ahmad has proposed that entrepreneurship programmes for students from Form 1 onwards be introduced to expose them to business skills. This is just wishful thinking. One must go through fire by undergoing many challenges and facing hardships in order to finally succeed in business.

Many successful restaurant operators started as kitchen helpers and then cooks because they only have SPM or lower qualification. But they had a dream and kept striving towards their goal. Today, they fully deserve to live in expensive homes and drive around in luxury cars.

Meanwhile, the majority of mediocre graduates are still stuck for over a decade in the B40 group if they are the sole breadwinner. Yet, there are still many naive people, including parents, who continue to believe that their children are set for life once they obtained a university degree.

But the certificate may be nothing more than a printed piece of paper, which I have not bothered to examine even after interviewing thousands of job applicants and recruited hundreds of staff over the past decades.

My criteria for selection were overwhelmingly based on character and attitude plus inter-personal communication and language skills. This was because the businesses that I was involved in were service industries, where integrity and courtesy are utmost important.

Although I preferred graduates, interviews would soon be over if candidates are unable to describe in their own words what and why they have studied and the work their parents actually do. The way answers are given would reveal their character and test their communication skills.

General knowledge is also given higher importance than job experience and academic qualification. Being long in the same job could mean just one month’s experience repeated many times. Only those with good communication skills could learn fast and well on the job.

Because I knew the A-Z of my business, I have always recruited staff without relevant job or industry experience, but they must have great potential.

Upon joining, I spent a great deal of time training them to become the best in the industry and empowering them as they grow.

Many of the people that I have recruited and trained are running companies that I have set up or are managing others. They are all in the T20, with or without tertiary qualifications.

Many people just do not realise the impact of family, society and work culture on career and business. – December 16, 2021.

* Y.S. Chan reads The Malaysian Insight.

* This is the opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of The Malaysian Insight. Article may be edited for brevity and clarity.