SHAH ALAM, MALAYSIA - The Human Resources Ministry is targeting to train 1,000 skilled workers to manufacture parts for local cars, said its deputy minister Datuk Noraini Ahmad.

This would be done through cooperation with the Malaysia Japan Automotive Industries Cooperation (Majaico) and Nissan Motor Co Japan.

She said the workers would come from local car vendors who make automotive parts and components.

Noraini said 150 workers from various vendors had been trained in the last two years by the Manpower Department's Advanced Technology Training Centres (Adtec).

Between 70 and 80 more would be trained this year, she added.

'This will help enhance the quality of our cars,' she said during Adtec Open Day and the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the Japan External Trade Organisation (Jetro) and the Human Resources Department yesterday.

She said Nissan Japan, in collaboration with Jetro, had trained 20 master trainers who taught the workers and more would be trained.

The effort is part of Majaico initiated under the Malaysia Japan Economic Partnership Agreement in July 2006 to develop and improve the Malaysian automotive industry by making it more competitive as a global player.