adminKUALA LUMPUR, Sept 10 (Bernama) — Permodalan Nasional Bhd (PNB) has invested RM593.6 million in education since 1996 through its PNB Scholarship Programme to develop talent that can contribute to the country’s progress.
Launched with an inaugural cohort of 10 students, the programme has since supported 6,547 scholarship recipients through various education and professional development initiatives, with 726 alumni still within the PNB network.
Finance Minister II Datuk Seri Amir Hamzah Azizan said scholarships were a strategic long-term investment whose returns might not be immediately visible but whose impact could be felt across generations.
“From one perspective, the programme may appear to be a platform for financial assistance that simply recognises academic achievement.
“But in reality, its true value lies in nurturing talent, opening doors to opportunities and enabling social mobility to build a more inclusive and prosperous nation,” he said in his speech at the PNB Scholarship Programme’s 30th anniversary celebration here on Wednesday.
Also present were PNB Group chairman Raja Tan Sri Arshad Raja Tun Uda and PNB Group president and chief executive Datuk Rizal Rickman Ramli, along with PNB scholarship alumni from various generations.
Amir Hamzah said the PNB Scholarship Programme had evolved into a platform that not only provided educational assistance but also advanced the national agenda by unlocking the potential of young Malaysians from diverse socioeconomic backgrounds to become future leaders.
He said the programme’s success could be seen in its alumni, who now work as professionals, researchers, entrepreneurs, civil servants and corporate leaders, contributing to the country’s development.
The world is now undergoing a period of transition that demands greater resilience and adaptability amid rapid advances in artificial intelligence (AI), digitalisation and the challenges of the energy transition, he said.
“In this challenging global environment, a country’s true competitive advantage no longer depends solely on natural resources or physical infrastructure, but on the strength of its human capital,” he said.
Under the MADANI Economy Framework and the GEAR-uP initiative led by the Finance Ministry, Amir Hamzah said the government’s focus was on developing competitive and resilient local talent capable of creating high-value opportunities for the national economy.
In line with these efforts, the Bakat MADANI initiative aims to involve 25,000 young people from low-income families in the country’s strategic-sector ecosystem by mid-2027.
The ecosystem covers government-linked investment companies (GLICs), government-linked companies (GLCs) and high-technology industries, including semiconductors, green energy, digital technology and AI.
Amir Hamzah said human capital development through institutions such as PNB could have a broader impact as nurtured talent went on to strengthen other institutions across the country.
“When human capital developed by an institution such as PNB grows and strengthens other institutions across the country, it has a significant impact on the competitiveness and resilience of the national economy,” he said.
Meanwhile, Raja Arshad said three decades of the PNB Scholarship Programme reflected not only PNB’s commitment to talent development but also a legacy of achievement and hope built over the years.
“Through our scholarship recipients, we are not merely opening doors to education, but empowering future leaders who can help drive the nation’s development.
“Our vision is clear: to open opportunities, nurture the potential of Malaysian children and help them build a better future,” he said.
He said many PNB scholarship alumni had gone on to succeed in their respective fields, including holding senior positions at leading organisations in Malaysia and abroad and taking on leadership roles across various sectors.
At PNB itself, many alumni are now part of the senior leadership, leadership pipeline and workforce across strategic functions, including investment, sustainability, risk, legal, compliance, sales and distribution.
Raja Arshad said the achievements of the alumni demonstrated that investment in talent and education could not only transform lives and empower families, but ultimately contribute to the nation’s progress.
According to PNB, the scholarship programme now offers various learning pathways covering secondary and higher education, technical and vocational education and training (TVET), professional programmes and heritage-related programmes.
In addition to financial assistance, recipients receive academic preparation support, mentoring, industry training opportunities, international exposure and continuous development to help them realise their potential and prepare for future leadership roles.
To mark its 30th anniversary, PNB also launched PNB Lumina, a platform connecting PNB scholarship alumni to continue growing together, providing mentorship and inspiration, and giving back to society.
— BERNAMA
