100 EMPLOYEES IN NORTHERN STATE MAY LOSE JOBS

PENANG (Malaysia), Jan 16 (Bernama) -- Malaysia's northern state of Penang
is feeling the impact of the global economic meltdown, with the state government
expecting about 100 employees in various industries to lose their jobs after the
Chinese New Year.

Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng said today that most of the companies had given
their assurance not to retrench workers but some would have to close after the
Chinese New year due to the financial crisis.

There were companies cutting salaries and over-time payments, reducing
working hours, not giving bonus and requesting their employees to clear their
annual to reduce operating costs but he hoped that they would not retrench
workers.

Jobstreet, Southeast Asia's largest online employment company, had set up a
special retrenchment helpline which would be launched next week, he told
reporters after meeting the American Chamber of Commerce representative here.

"The initiative is to give hope and help those unemployed and retrenched to
obtain jobs as soon as posible," he said.

Meanwhile, to ensure that there is no massive retrenchment in Penang, Lim
urged the federal government to direct Tenaga Nasional Bhd, the country's main
energy provider, to decrease the electricity tariff and reduce the frequency of
interruption of electricity to companies which he said was causing them major
losses.

He also urged the federal government to waive the compulsory one per cent
contribution to the Human Resource Development Fund by employers to help them
cut costs.
-- BERNAMA