PayNet’s “Program Akar” Is Back — Here’s How It’s Prepping Youths For An AI-Powered Future
Program Akar participants get real mentorship, hands-on experience, and job placement opportunities with some of the country’s top financial players.
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If you’re a student eyeing a future in AI, data science, or digital finance — and you care about doing it with purpose — PayNet’s Program Akar might just be what you’re looking for.
The second phase of the training programme just launched, with 100 students set to join this year.
It kicks off with 25 from Multimedia University (MMU) and will grow to include 75 more from other local unis by the end of 2025.
So what’s Akar all about?
Well, in short, it’s not just about building skills — it’s about building character.
The programme is a team effort run by PayNet in collaboration with Microsoft (under its AIforMYFuture initiative), PEOPLElogy Berhad, and Futuresparx Sdn Bhd.
Participants will go through a three-part learning journey that covers:
- Values-Driven Enrichment – fostering leadership, integrity, and a future-ready mindset.
- Digital Payment Knowledge – exploring how money has evolved, including banking systems, digital payments, and transaction security.
- AI & Data Science Mastery – teaching foundational tech skills and how to apply them to real-world problems.
And this isn’t just classroom stuff. Participants get real mentorship, hands-on experience, and job placement opportunities with some of the country’s top financial players.
“We’re Here To Build The Roots”
At the launch, Farhan Ahmad, Group CEO of PayNet, said the goal of the programme is to “build the roots”—hence the name Akar, which means “roots” in Malay.
“Akar lives at the intersection of technology, finance, and most importantly, values,” he said. “It’s the ultimate compass when you’re heading into an uncertain future. What we do with it is the difference-maker — values transcend technology.”
So what kind of values is Akar trying to instil? Farhan lists them out:
- Aspiration — Because to innovate, you must aspire beyond what you can see.
- Curiosity — Ask a lot of questions. AI can help answer them, but you have to be curious enough to ask.
- Grit — Because in the face of people telling you you’re not going to make it, you have to stand tall and say otherwise.
What sets Akar apart is how seriously it takes the “practice what you learn” part.
“Akar is not just about the training,” Farhan added. “If you don’t practice what you’ve learned, you lose it. The difference with Akar is that once you graduate from the learning, we put you in a position to use it. Once you put it into action, you won’t forget it. We don’t stop at teaching — we take it to the next level.”
At PayNet, we see talent development as national development. Program Akar is about more than preparing students for jobs. It’s about preparing them to lead Malaysia’s digital economy with purpose. By equipping our youth with future-proof digital skills and connecting them to meaningful industry opportunities, we’re strengthening Malaysia’s financial ecosystem and building long-term economic resilience.
PayNet CEO Farhan Ahmad.
Farhan didn’t sugarcoat the reality of where AI is headed.
Unlike anything that preceded it, the future of AI is unknown, and no human understands how it’s going to play out. That has never happened to us in the history of humanity. Every technology before this has been controllable. This one — we have no clue how it’s going to go.
PayNet CEO Farhan Ahmad.
“We Are The Future”
Microsoft Malaysia Managing Director Laurence Si also spoke at the launch, reflecting on his decades in tech.
AI is transforming every role in every industry, including financial services. By collaborating with PayNet through Program Akar, we’re helping build a generation of talent equipped with the digital and AI skills to thrive, in line with Microsoft’s AIForMYFuture initiative. At Microsoft, we’re committed to empowering students with the capabilities needed to succeed in Malaysia’s growing AI economy.
Microsoft Malaysia Managing Director Laurence Si.
Si has seen his fair share of revolutions in tech — from the PC era to the cloud — but said AI feels different.
“For the first time, AI is giving everyone unlimited access to data and knowledge. It’s like having a personal tutor at your fingertips,” he noted. “We’re still early in the AI journey. The future’s not defined yet — and who’s going to define it? We are. We are the future.”
Think about the word akar — foundation. That’s what it’s all about.
Microsoft Malaysia Managing Director Laurence Si.
TL;DR
PayNet’s Program Akar is more than just a training course — it’s a mission to shape the next wave of tech talent for Malaysia. And that’s something we can all root for.
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