NO AUTOMATIC EMPLOYMENT FOR RETRENCHED WORKERS

PUTRAJAYA, Feb 18 (Bernama) -- Private sector workers who were retrenched due to the global economic downturn will have to apply through the normal process if they want to join the public sector, Public Service Director-General Ismail Adam said.

Although the government had agreed in principle that they be employed to
fill up vacancies in the public sector, it did not mean they would automatically
be accepted into the service, he said.

"It's not automatic... they should apply based on their qualification
and experience," he told reporters after delivering a keynote address at a
workshop for Malaysian missions abroad at the Putrajaya International Convention
Centre.

He suggested that the workers surf the www.JobsMalaysia.gov.my website run
by the Human Resources Ministry or the Public Service Department's website at
www.spa.gov.my to see for themselves the jobs available.

He said contract employees in the public sector would also need to apply if
they wanted to be absorbed into the permanent service scheme.

Human Resources Minister Dr S. Subramaniam said that the government
had agreed in principle to the proposal that 20,000 vacancies in the public
sector be filled with retrenched workers from the private sector.

Ismail said that most of the 20,000 vacancies were at the clerical level
and as such, the move would not affect the employment opportunities of those
with professional qualification.

-- BERNAMA