SEPANG, Sept 28 (Bernama) -- Malaysia is targeting its maiden gold medal at the WorldSkills Competition (WSC) 2028 in Aichi, Japan, through two years of early preparation and the expansion of the national contingent's participation to at least 32 out of the 64 contested skill areas.
Head of the Malaysian Contingent to WSC Shanghai 2026, who is also Deputy Works Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Maslan, said that the subsequent target for the 2028 WSC edition in Aichi, Japan, is to increase the national contingent's participation to at least 50 percent, or 32 out of the 64 contested skill areas.
He said such meticulous preparations cannot be delayed and must instead be set in motion immediately by strengthening synergy across the 12 ministries that manage the Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) ecosystem in Malaysia.
"Preparations must begin now because it involves national, ASEAN, and Asian level competitions, only then will we reach the world stage," he told Bernama after the national contingent's homecoming reception ceremony at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport here today.
Elaborating further, Ahmad described WSC as the "Olympics" for the field of skills, and the quest to hunt for that maiden gold gleam is now a primary agenda, akin to the national sports "Road to Gold" mission.
"That gold medal is not just gold; it serves as a symbol of our ability to elevate and dignify the standard of the country's TVET on the international stage," he said.
Ahmad noted that the point gap between national participants and podium winners on the international stage is actually very narrow, proving that local trainees possess immense potential to clinch gold.
At the WSC Shanghai 2026 games, Malaysia carved out its best achievement history since first participating in WSC after bringing home 14 medals - comprising one bronze and 13 Medals for Excellence—and placing 11 out of 21 fields in the top 10 group globally.
-- BERNAMA