“Yayasan Peneraju is committed to enhancing high income employment and marketability among Bumiputra youths,” explains the foundation's Chief Executive Raja Azura Raja Mahayuddin.

“The need to increase the number of globally recognised certification holders in the area of finance, banking and investment for instance, is a key opportunity for us."

The Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) and Financial Risk Manager (FRM) are just some of the professional certifications that the foundation is training Bumiputra scholars, and their appetite for such training is insatiable.

We have identified certifications such as CFA and FRM as among the most in-demand training that can help drive Malaysia towards a high-income economy

“We have identified certifications such as CFA and FRM as among the most in-demand training that can help drive Malaysia towards a high-income economy. But of course, there are plenty of other certifications that can also do well for Malaysia, and we are working hard in ensuring that we provide the necessary training to our scholars to make this happen,” Azura adds.

Malaysia currently has 800 registered CFA charter holders and 93 certified FRM. The corresponding figures for Singapore are 4,000 and 850 respectively.

“However, the number of Bumiputera participation in this high impact profession is still relatively small. The number of Bumiputera CFA charter holders and certified FRM in Malaysia is 115 and 15 respectively. We need to grow this surely."

"CFAs and FRMs are highly in demand notably in the financial services and investment sectors which are among the fastest growing industries. These professions are critically needed to drive Malaysia to a high income economy," she adds.

Watch the interview with Raja Azura Raja Mahayuddin below: