Key Takeaways
- • Amalan Setar (M) Sdn Bhd, led by managing director R Rajendran, contributed RM7.2 million to the MySkills Foundation, a vocational training charity for school dropouts and at-risk youths.
- • The donation lifts MySkills' endowment fund to RM15 million, RM5 million short of its RM20 million target for next year, according to Free Malaysia Today.
- • The foundation spends nearly RM4 million annually, while a RM20 million endowment is expected to generate only RM1 million to RM1.5 million in yearly investment income, so continued fundraising remains necessary.
- • MySkills plans centres in Johor, Penang and the East Coast, using a stronger endowment to expand beyond its Kalumpang campus in Selangor.
Summary
Amalan Setar (M) Sdn Bhd has contributed RM7.2 million to the MySkills Foundation, a charity providing vocational training and personal development programmes for school dropouts and at-risk youths, according to Free Malaysia Today. Amalan Setar's managing director, businessman and philanthropist R Rajendran, announced the contribution at the company's annual dinner, saying the foundation differs from conventional charities because it removes students from negative environments and gives them a fresh setting in which to rebuild their lives.
Rajendran had previously donated RM400,000 to MySkills for the construction of its male hostel, named Bala's Hall of Residence after his brother. The foundation, established in 2010, began in a rented shoplot in Puchong, moved to Port Klang, and established its permanent campus in Kalumpang in 2018. At Kalumpang it trains 150 students annually, with capacity for 250 to 300.
The latest contribution will raise the endowment fund to RM15 million, against a RM20 million target for next year. MySkills CEO G Devasharma said the endowment is critical to sustaining operations without relying entirely on donations and grants. The foundation, which has operated for 16 years, spends nearly RM4 million a year, while a RM20 million endowment is projected to yield RM1 million to RM1.5 million in annual investment income. Devasharma said fundraising would continue after the initial target is reached because returns alone would not cover expenditure.
A stronger endowment would also support plans for centres in Johor, Penang and the East Coast. Devasharma said expansion beyond Selangor is necessary to reach dropouts who remain outside existing intervention programmes. He emphasised character development, life skills and long-term employability alongside vocational qualifications. He also said employers are often willing to provide technical training but struggle to retain workers because of their attitude towards employment, and stressed that corporate participation in creating employment pathways could reduce reliance on migrant workers while steering vulnerable youths away from crime.
Rajendran had previously donated RM400,000 to MySkills for the construction of its male hostel, named Bala's Hall of Residence after his brother. The foundation, established in 2010, began in a rented shoplot in Puchong, moved to Port Klang, and established its permanent campus in Kalumpang in 2018. At Kalumpang it trains 150 students annually, with capacity for 250 to 300.
The latest contribution will raise the endowment fund to RM15 million, against a RM20 million target for next year. MySkills CEO G Devasharma said the endowment is critical to sustaining operations without relying entirely on donations and grants. The foundation, which has operated for 16 years, spends nearly RM4 million a year, while a RM20 million endowment is projected to yield RM1 million to RM1.5 million in annual investment income. Devasharma said fundraising would continue after the initial target is reached because returns alone would not cover expenditure.
A stronger endowment would also support plans for centres in Johor, Penang and the East Coast. Devasharma said expansion beyond Selangor is necessary to reach dropouts who remain outside existing intervention programmes. He emphasised character development, life skills and long-term employability alongside vocational qualifications. He also said employers are often willing to provide technical training but struggle to retain workers because of their attitude towards employment, and stressed that corporate participation in creating employment pathways could reduce reliance on migrant workers while steering vulnerable youths away from crime.
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