Kerstin Griese, Parliamentary State Secretary at the Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs, welcomed a delegation of members of Malaysia's parliament headed by Ms Wong Shu Qi to her ministry on 16 September 2019. The discussions dealt with the introduction of the minimum wage, the digital transformation of the world of work and issues in the field of education and training.
The members of the Democratic Action Party, which since 2018 has been part of a ruling four-party alliance, are aiming to improve the living conditions of the people in Malaysia with the help of targeted policy measures for the labour market and training and by actively influencing the shape of work in the future.
In discussions with State Secretary Kerstin Griese and other experts from the ministry, the delegation was particularly interested in the effects that the introduction of the minimum wage in Germany had had on the labour market situation and in how to deal with the challenges of platform economies and artificial intelligence. The State Secretary emphasised the importance of training to employees and companies in the course of the ongoing digital transformation of work and spoke about the Federal Government's National Skills Strategy in this context. She also emphasised that we must continue to have fair pay, good working conditions and adequate social protection in the future.
The delegation also showed great interest in the structure and organisation of dual vocational training in Germany. With a view to ensuring the supply of skilled labour, they discussed both the younger generation's increasing level of academic education as well as practical vocational training as an alternative.
The delegation from Malaysia is in Germany at the invitation of the Friederich-Ebert-Stiftung and will meet with numerous experts for talks.