Kuala lumpur: The Malaysian Employers Federation (MEF) has urged a shift in tripartism to a more strategic, high-trust partnership that can help Malaysia navigate economic changes, demographic shifts, and growing global competition.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, in conjunction with Workers' Day 2026, MEF president Datuk Dr Syed Hussain Syed Husman emphasized the need for cooperation between employers, employees, trade unions, and the government to move beyond consultation. He advocated for stronger shared accountability and aligned policies. Syed Hussain noted that Workers' Day should not be merely symbolic but a moment for stakeholders to assess progress and recalibrate approaches to secure the country's economic future.
Syed Hussain highlighted that amid rising business costs and rapid digital transformation, sustainable businesses and quality jobs must go hand in hand. He stressed that human capital remains key to resilience. To address issues such as skills mismatches, graduate employability, and the impact of artificial intelligence, MEF proposed a next-phase tripartite framework centered on an evidence-based approach with stronger industry engagement at the sector level.
The federation also called for faster policy implementation and balanced regulations that protect workers without burdening businesses, emphasizing that social justice and economic competitiveness must progress together.
Meanwhile, the National Skilled Workers Organisation (BELIA MAHIR), in a separate statement, expressed full support for the Government's initiatives to empower the welfare and protection of workers in conjunction with the 2026 Workers' Day celebration. Its President, Mohammad Rizan Hassan, welcomed the proposal to extend SOCSO (PERKESO) protection to Malaysian citizens abroad, as well as the introduction of a Post-Maternity Leave Allowance to further empower women in the economy.
Mohammad Rizan emphasized the importance of the quality of the relationship between employers and employees in the nation's economic strength. He stated that employees should be regarded as strategic assets contributing to the growth of both the organization and the nation. A condescending attitude, poor communication, and a failure to appreciate employees' contributions would only weaken productivity and workforce loyalty.
He also reminded workers to shed negative work habits that could adversely affect organizational performance. In this era of rapid technological advancement, developing the right attitude is critical to ensuring the Malaysian workforce remains relevant. "Skilled youth, in particular, must emerge as a generation that is not only technically proficient but also possesses strong integrity, responsibility, dedication, and high resilience," he added.