COMMENT | The recent auditor-general and the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) reports highlighted mismanagement and financial irregularities involving the Human Resource Development Corporation (HRD Corp).

Malaysia finds itself at a critical crossroads in its efforts to promote skilled workforce development through a systematic and inclusive training ecosystem.

Several parties have called for halting the levy collection and allowing employers to determine their own training strategies.

While the governance issues highlighted in the reports are concerning, the call to halt levy collection is even more worrying, as it risks reversing three decades of effort to promote solidarity in workforce development within Malaysia's heterogeneous firms and industries.