ID :
36154
Wed, 12/17/2008 - 17:27
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/36154
The shortlink copeid
BLANKET FREEZE ON FOREIGN WORKERS WILL PARALYSE SOME SECTORS OF ECONOMY -
By Sajad Hussein
KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 17 (Bernama) -- A blanket freeze on foreign workers will
only paralyse certain sectors of the country's economy, the Malaysian Employers
Federation (MEF) told the government Wednesday.
Instead, the government should be selective in such a move as the
plantation, construction and agriculture sectors depended greatly on foreign
labour, reasoned MEF executive director Shamsuddin Bardan.
In an interview with Bernama, he said that almost 60 per cent of the
150,000
workers in the plantation sector were foreigners while the construction and
agricultural sectors saw 80 per cent and 50 per cent migrant workforce,
respectively.
Shamsuddin was commenting on the human resources ministry's announcement
on Tuesday that it was considering a temporary freeze on foreign workers to
assist locals secure jobs due to the uncertain global economy.
He said Malaysians were generally not keen to work in these sectors as they
considered jobs in these sectors as lowly paid.
"This is their perspective but in reality, these sectors pay well and
workers here enjoy various benefits which other sectors do not provide," he
said.
For example, those in the plantation sector get free housing, water,
electricity and even a plot of land to do their own farming to supplement their
income.
According to Shamsuddin, the plantation sector was also the most stable
under the present circumstances as there would not be any retrenchment.
Shamsuddin said, if at all the government needed to freeze foreign intake,
the services sector would be a good option.
There is a possibility of reducing the foreign workforce in this sector as
Malaysians could easily replace migrants as salespersons, cashiers and clerks.
Shamsuddin assured that MEF members would do their best to retain as
many workers as possible and would give priority to Malaysians in filling all
vacancies.
He hoped the government and the unions would cooperate with the employers
to ride over this rough patch in the country's economy.
On the reduction in the Employees Provident Fund (EPF) contribution,
Shamsuddin said MEF's understanding was that the reduction was voluntary.
However, from the mechanism used for the deduction, it appeared like it was
compulsory.
He agreed with the Malaysian Trades Union Congress that the mechanism
should be reversed to reflect the government's intention of making the deduction
voluntary.
Under the present system, those who wished to retain their contribution at
11 per cent, need to fill a special form while those who do not sign this form
would have their contributions automatically reduced to eight per cent - this
seems tantamount to compulsion.
However, Bernama understands that the EPF had noted this and allowed unions
and employers to submit the request for retention in a master list, instead of
individual forms.
-- BERNAMA
KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 17 (Bernama) -- A blanket freeze on foreign workers will
only paralyse certain sectors of the country's economy, the Malaysian Employers
Federation (MEF) told the government Wednesday.
Instead, the government should be selective in such a move as the
plantation, construction and agriculture sectors depended greatly on foreign
labour, reasoned MEF executive director Shamsuddin Bardan.
In an interview with Bernama, he said that almost 60 per cent of the
150,000
workers in the plantation sector were foreigners while the construction and
agricultural sectors saw 80 per cent and 50 per cent migrant workforce,
respectively.
Shamsuddin was commenting on the human resources ministry's announcement
on Tuesday that it was considering a temporary freeze on foreign workers to
assist locals secure jobs due to the uncertain global economy.
He said Malaysians were generally not keen to work in these sectors as they
considered jobs in these sectors as lowly paid.
"This is their perspective but in reality, these sectors pay well and
workers here enjoy various benefits which other sectors do not provide," he
said.
For example, those in the plantation sector get free housing, water,
electricity and even a plot of land to do their own farming to supplement their
income.
According to Shamsuddin, the plantation sector was also the most stable
under the present circumstances as there would not be any retrenchment.
Shamsuddin said, if at all the government needed to freeze foreign intake,
the services sector would be a good option.
There is a possibility of reducing the foreign workforce in this sector as
Malaysians could easily replace migrants as salespersons, cashiers and clerks.
Shamsuddin assured that MEF members would do their best to retain as
many workers as possible and would give priority to Malaysians in filling all
vacancies.
He hoped the government and the unions would cooperate with the employers
to ride over this rough patch in the country's economy.
On the reduction in the Employees Provident Fund (EPF) contribution,
Shamsuddin said MEF's understanding was that the reduction was voluntary.
However, from the mechanism used for the deduction, it appeared like it was
compulsory.
He agreed with the Malaysian Trades Union Congress that the mechanism
should be reversed to reflect the government's intention of making the deduction
voluntary.
Under the present system, those who wished to retain their contribution at
11 per cent, need to fill a special form while those who do not sign this form
would have their contributions automatically reduced to eight per cent - this
seems tantamount to compulsion.
However, Bernama understands that the EPF had noted this and allowed unions
and employers to submit the request for retention in a master list, instead of
individual forms.
-- BERNAMA
