[NEW STRAITS TIMES] Malaysia set target of five medals in World Skills Competition in Abu Dhabi
SEPANG : The Malaysian contingent has set a target of winning five m edals in the World Skills Competition (WSC) in Abu Dhabi which will be held from Oct 14 to 19 in the United Arab Emirates. Human Resources Minister, Datuk Seri Richard Riot said the 20-member team are well prepared and have set their hopes high after winning gold medals at the ASEAN Skills Competition (ASC) in Kuala Lumpur last year. "We are sending all our ASEAN gold medallists to the WSC. I'm confident that theywill do well. We are targetting 5 medals - with at least a gold, which will be our first gold at the WSC,” Riot said after seeing off the Malaysian contingent at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport . The WSC is an international skills competition which sees youths from 77 member countries and regions competing for top honours. Malaysia will compete in 20 out of the 54 categories, including automobile technology, beauty therapy, cooking, bricklaying, electrical installation, welding, painting and decorating. Riot reiterated that the Malaysian gold medallist at the WSC would be rewarded with RM100,000 cash - as announced by Deputy Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi in April. He said even though the competition is not money-motivated, the cash reward is a “motivation” for participants to push themselves further. The incentive also demonstrates the government's commitment to developing the country’s high-skills sector.