ID :
66509
Fri, 06/19/2009 - 07:26
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/66509
The shortlink copeid
UNTRAINED FOREIGN WORKERS FLOODING TOURISM INDUSTRY, SAYS NCCIM
By Mohd Haikal Isa
JOHOR BAHARU (Malaysia), June 18 (Bernama) -- The National Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Malaysia (NCCIM) Thursday expressed concern over the flooding of untrained foreign workers in the country's tourism industry.
Its secretatry general, Syed Hussien Al-Habshee, said the untrained
foreign workers could jeopordise the image of Malaysia which is well known among
foreign tourists as a country with friendly and courteous people.
"Many of the hotels and resort centres in the country are taking advantage
and hiring these untrained workers because of the low wages involved, and
because they don't have to contribute to the Employees Provident Fund (EPF),
Socso and others," he told Bernama here Thursday.
He said NCCIM was constantly getting complaints that such foreign workers
were not only unfriendly to customers but that the quality of their service to
tourists was also very poor.
Among the main problems involving foreign workers in the tourism sector
involved language, attitude and a lack of courtesy towards tourists.
"They (foreign workers) are not committed and don't have a sense of
belonging to want to keep up the good name of Malaysia among foreign tourists
visiting Malaysia unlike our own people," he said.
Syed Hussien said many among the untrained foreign workers lacking in the
courtesy department are employed in the front line of the hospitality industry
such as waiters in restaurants, porters, and in customer reception.
The authorities must look into the presence of untrained foreign workers in
several front line areas of the tourism industry which sees them interacting
with foreign tourists, he said.
This can adversely affect the efforts to attract foreign tourists into the
country, he added.
Against this background, NCCIM is urging the Tourism Ministry and
associations in the hotel and resort industry to ensure that the foreign workers
undergo training and the relevant courses before they are taken for work.
The workers must be equipped with the proper information before they are
exposed to the working environment in the billion ringgit tourism industry, he
said.
Syed Hussien also suggested that the Tourism Ministry came up with
strategies to attract more local youths to get involved in the tourism sector
and make it their source of livelihood.
"With the present dull economy, many youths are also out of work and efforts
must be made to attract them to the industry and hence also reduce the
dependency on foreign workers."
-- BERNAMA
JOHOR BAHARU (Malaysia), June 18 (Bernama) -- The National Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Malaysia (NCCIM) Thursday expressed concern over the flooding of untrained foreign workers in the country's tourism industry.
Its secretatry general, Syed Hussien Al-Habshee, said the untrained
foreign workers could jeopordise the image of Malaysia which is well known among
foreign tourists as a country with friendly and courteous people.
"Many of the hotels and resort centres in the country are taking advantage
and hiring these untrained workers because of the low wages involved, and
because they don't have to contribute to the Employees Provident Fund (EPF),
Socso and others," he told Bernama here Thursday.
He said NCCIM was constantly getting complaints that such foreign workers
were not only unfriendly to customers but that the quality of their service to
tourists was also very poor.
Among the main problems involving foreign workers in the tourism sector
involved language, attitude and a lack of courtesy towards tourists.
"They (foreign workers) are not committed and don't have a sense of
belonging to want to keep up the good name of Malaysia among foreign tourists
visiting Malaysia unlike our own people," he said.
Syed Hussien said many among the untrained foreign workers lacking in the
courtesy department are employed in the front line of the hospitality industry
such as waiters in restaurants, porters, and in customer reception.
The authorities must look into the presence of untrained foreign workers in
several front line areas of the tourism industry which sees them interacting
with foreign tourists, he said.
This can adversely affect the efforts to attract foreign tourists into the
country, he added.
Against this background, NCCIM is urging the Tourism Ministry and
associations in the hotel and resort industry to ensure that the foreign workers
undergo training and the relevant courses before they are taken for work.
The workers must be equipped with the proper information before they are
exposed to the working environment in the billion ringgit tourism industry, he
said.
Syed Hussien also suggested that the Tourism Ministry came up with
strategies to attract more local youths to get involved in the tourism sector
and make it their source of livelihood.
"With the present dull economy, many youths are also out of work and efforts
must be made to attract them to the industry and hence also reduce the
dependency on foreign workers."
-- BERNAMA