The context
Why this conversation, why now
The 13th Malaysia Plan targets labour productivity growth of 3.6% a year to 2030. Services, which generate almost six in every ten ringgit of GDP, produced RM43.6 of value per hour worked in Q4 2025, below the national average of RM46.3. Closing that gap is the single biggest productivity lever the country has.
Until now, no forum has existed for MITI, MPC, industry and GCSA to test how the Five Pillars interact in practice. Co-hosted with MPC, this roundtable gives capacity building an explicit government-industry mandate linked to RMK13 Initiative A1.12.1, while GCSA's inclusion opens an early bridge to the cybersecurity and trust agenda. Professional bodies across engineering, technology, architecture, building, law and facility management will speak to how the pillars can be adopted in their own industries.
3.6% p.a.
13MP labour productivity growth target, 2026 to 2030
RM43.6/hr
services value added per hour, Q4 2025
RM46.3/hr
national average, Q4 2025
Objectives
What this session will set out to do
- 01Seek stakeholder consensus on how capacity building is prioritised and resourced to expedite each pillar's rollout.
- 02Prepare the full rollout of the Five Pillars to the industries they champion, via MSPC connecting with industry.
- 03Have professional bodies set out how the Five Pillars can be adopted in their sectors.
- 04Conclude with a declaration on rolling out the Five Pillars to industry.
Five Pillars
Where it fits
Capacity Building & QTVET
The central focus, with priorities and resourcing agreed for each pillar.
Malaysian Industry Trust Mark (MITM)
Tested alongside the other four pillars in practice.
Professional Mobility
Tested alongside the other four pillars in practice.
Technology Adoption
Tested alongside the other four pillars in practice.
Trade Connectivity & Market Access
Tested alongside the other four pillars in practice.
Challenges on the table
- The pillars have been introduced separately and have not yet been tested together.
- Capacity building lacks an agreed order of priority and resourcing across the pillars.
- Industry bodies need a clear view of how the pillars apply to their sectors.
- The cybersecurity and trust agenda is not yet connected to capacity building.
Opportunities to explore
- Give capacity building an explicit government-industry mandate, co-hosted with MPC.
- Bring professional bodies together to commit to sector adoption of the Five Pillars.
- Open an early bridge to the cyber-trust agenda through GCSA.
- Link capacity building to RMK13 Initiative A1.12.1 and its KPI tracking.
Outcomes
What it will deliver
- Agree how capacity building is prioritised and resourced for each pillar.
- Secure sector commitments from professional bodies to adopt the Five Pillars.
- Issue a declaration on rolling out the Five Pillars to industry via MSPC.
- Set the mandate that the Day 2 Productivity & Trust Roundtable will scale.
The Five Pillars become an agreed, resourced programme for Malaysian industry.
Session journey
Where it leads
This session
- Five-Pillar Roundtable: Stakeholder Consensus on Capacity Building
Sources for figures on this page: 13th Malaysia Plan via PwC Malaysia; DOSM Labour Productivity Q4 2025.
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