The Malaysian Technical Cooperation Program (MTCP) was established in 1980 as Malaysia's contribution to the South-South Cooperation initiative. It is conducted through the sharing of Malaysia's development experiences and provision of training and technical advice in key areas that are important for the development of a country.

MTCP is premised on the principle that the development of a country is dependent on the quality of its human capital and resources. MTCP emphasises human resources development mainly through training; short-term courses in public and private Malaysian training institutions, and long-term courses including scholarships for eligible participants to further their studies in Malaysian universities. Other forms of assistance include professional advisory services, despatch of Malaysian experts and customised training programmes.