PRIVATE SECTORS FREEZE NEW INTAKE - MEF

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 23 (Bernama) -- In facing the current economic
uncertainities, many employers have frozen intake of new staff, especially in
managerial and supervisory categories, Malaysian Employers Federation (MEF)
executive director Shamsuddin Bardan said Monday.

He said the priority now was to keep companies afloat with existing staff
strength, adding that the companies were also doing their best to avoid
retrenchment.

Shamsuddin urged the government to assist these companies quickly so that
they could continue to operate, albeit at a lower production level.

He hoped the mini budget to be tabled by Finance Minister Najib
Razak, who is also deputy prime minister, on March 10 would have some
goodies for the private sector, especially the manufacturing industry which was
the hardest-hit during the economic downturn.

For those retrenched, he suggested the government assist them by offering
licences for petty trading.

He said although retraining them was one option, it would require time to
get the desired impact.

Getting the workers involved in small businesses would lead to immediate
result, added Shamsuddin.

-- BERNAMA