MCA president Dr Chua Soi Lek has urged Tunku Abdul Rahman College (TARC) graduates to sign up for the civil service, now that more of the institution's certificates are recognised by the federal government.

NONE "The recognition of TARC certificates means that its graduates since the 90s will receive the Public Services Department’s recognition and this will pave the road for them to join the civil service.

"The announcement is also an acknowledgement to the academic standard of the college which was founded by MCA in 1969," he said in a press release today.

He urged graduates to pursue a career in the civil service education sector, in order to help groom more talent in Malaysia.

NONE Yesterday, Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak visited the TARC Petaling Jaya campus and announced that his administration would retrospectively recognise the diploma and higher diploma encompassing more than 70 programmes with immediate effect.

About 100,000 former students who were earned such certificates priorto the establishment of the Malaysian Qualification Agency (MQA) 2008, can use their qualifications to join public universities and the civil service.

NONE The same documents are recognised by universities in many developed countries but hitherto not in Malaysia.

Chua, who is also TARC council chairperson, used the opportunity to stress that this development was the result of MCA "walking the talk" to grow local talent.

He said that Malaysians can expect more results from MCA soon, which is pursuing a university college status for TARC.

He added that MCA was also exploring the feasibility of providing vocational education so that more young people can be trained vocationally to meet the demand of skilled workers in the country.

"MCA will continue to grow and prepare more talents for the country in entering the high-income nation era," he said.