Malaysia Target First Medal At WSC 2015 In Sao Paulo

PUTRAJAYA, March 31 (Bernama) -- Malaysia will be targeting to win a first ever medal at the World Skills Competition (WSC) 2015 in Sao Paulo, Brazil from Aug 11 to Aug 16. Human Resources Ministry Skill Development Department Deputy Director Dr Ghalip Spahat said this would be Malaysia's 12th participation in the WSC since 1993 and would be taking part in 19 of the 54 skills categories contested in the competition held once in two years. He said among the fields contested are mechatronics; electronics; cooking; fashion technology; automobile technology; welding, plumbing and heating. The 70-member Malaysian contingent would include 20 participants, experts and trainers from the institutions of higher learning and public vocational training institutes, Dr Ghalip said. "We are aiming to bring home a medal, either gold, silver or bronze, this time around as we have prepared well for the competition," he told Bernama, here Monday. "Participants also undergo training which starts from at 7pm until 3.30am to adapt the time in Sao Paulo and enable them to focus when competition begins. Participants were also given exposure in skills competitions at national and Asia levels. "A gold medal winner will receive cash incentive of RM40,000 (US$1=RM3.70) and a Proton car, silver medal winner gets RM20,000 cash incentive and RM10,000 cash incentive will be offered for a bronze medal," he said. Meanwhile, participants who received the 'medallion for excellence', for those succeeding in collecting more than 5,000 accumulated points will receive an incentive of RM4,000. Malaysia's participation at the WSC 2013 in Leipzig, Germany, was the best achievement after winning nine 'medallion for excellence' out of 14 skills categories participated. -- BERNAMA