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 ©New Straits Times
(Used by permission)
by David Yeow
KUALA LUMPUR: Foreign workers should get the axe first in the event of
downsizing in the private sector, MCA government policy monitoring bureau chief
Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek said yesterday.
The MCA deputy president said that while the nation valued
the contributions of foreign workers, the interests of Malaysians came first.
He added that with the recent estimates that Malaysia's gross domestic product
in 2008 would be five per cent, followed by 3.5 per cent in 2009, local
companies, especially in the manufacturing sector, would naturally try to cut
production costs.
"And what easier way to do it than to lay off our own local workers? Especially
since they are paid more than foreign labour."
Dr Chua said the government and its agencies should monitor the situation and
ensure that Malaysians kept their jobs and were not the first victims of the
economic slowdown.
He said this was in line with the government's desire to
reduce dependence on foreign labour by 2010.
(The Finance Ministry in its 2006/2007 economic report stated that it wanted to
reduce the number of foreign workers in the country to 1.5 million by 2010. This
meant that only 250,000 foreign workers will remain in the manufacturing sector
with another 200,000 in the construction sector).
According to Dr Chua, Malaysia had about 750,000 foreign workers in 2000 but the
figure had tripled.
"There are currently 2.1 million foreign workers in Malaysia with work permits.
There are probably another 500,000 who are illegal, rounding up the number to
about 2.6 million foreign workers."
He said the foreign workers were mostly in the construction, manufacturing, and
service sectors, plantations and as domestic helpers.
"Talk is cheap and the nation, especially in such difficult economic times, does
not need more political rhetoric but real action.
"They (the government) just announced that they want to reduce, but until now,
no detailed measures have been revealed. It's just been talk only."
Dr Chua said real solutions were needed for the problem, with guarantees that
the people would not lose their jobs.
"I suggest that we introduce a minimum wage into some of these sectors, like
manufacturing and construction. This way more Malaysians would be interested to
work in these sectors, cutting down the need for foreign labour."
Dr Chua added that with about 500,000 Malaysians in Singapore expected to be
retrenched, the government also needed to buck up on job skill training courses.
"The government recently announced that it was allocating RM300 million towards
job skill training to help the unemployed pick up new skills and get back into
the workforce. And still no word is out on how that money would be spent."
The former health minister said skill training courses should also be retooled
to correspond to the demands of the job market.
"Currently the courses are not doing the job. It's just run of the mill
training, which at the end of the day still leaves everyone jobless.
"Find out what skills are in demand, teach them and pay the participants
allowances that are adjusted to the job they are training for," he said.
In another MCA statement yesterday, the party's Information and Communications
chief Lee Wei Kiat suggested that with world crude oil prices dropping from
US$120 in July to US$50 (RM181) in November, the government should implement an
auto floating mechanism in petrol pump pricing.
"The MCA objects to the floor price fixing for petrol as it does not promote
transparency and consistency in government policies. Economic prosperity should
be enjoyed by all citizens.
"An auto floating mechanism would provide an optimum price for motorists and at
the same time the government will be able to monitor the mechanism in an open
and transparent manner."
Lee urged the government to continue giving out the 30 cent petrol subsidies per
litre as promised.
"The chain reaction from the previous petrol hike is still there and the
inflation still stands high at seven per cent when compared to two per cent in
2006."
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SIF FAQ II Case Study 1
Save a tree (square) (10475)
It is the lazy ones who should go first. Not the foreigners. Malaysians cannot and must not hide behind race or nationality or even gender when it comes to job prospects. The industries should evaluate performance and not anything arbitrary like race or gender or nationality. Only then will we be determined to strive to achieve the best in everything we do.
Local labour has no business getting paid more if they are doing less or equal amount of work. Meritocarcy is the oly way forward. Only then are we productive and only then can we progress. And only then can we come out on top and drive back these forces of economic crisis.
So please Mr Chua, think again.
Lim Chong Leong