Parliament: Freeze on foreign labour stays
By ZULKIFLI ABD RAHMANhttp://biz.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2009/10/26/business/20091026144818&sec=business
KUALA LUMPUR: The Government will maintain the freeze on foreign labour for certain manufacturing sectors, Human Resources Minister Datuk Dr S. Subramaniam told the House.He said that the Government is however willing to be flexible and allow some industries to import foreign workers.
These industries are the electrics and electronics, rubber glove, furniture, plastic and textiles sectors.
“To help reduce dependency on foreign workers, the ministry is seeking cooperation from employers to increase wages to attract more locals and is encouraging the use of automation in their industries to reduce labour-intensive duties at the factories,” he told Teresa Kok (DAP-Seputeh).
In a supplementary question, Kok asked whether the ministry was coordinating its efforts to attract foreign investment with other agencies such as the International Trade and Industry Ministry and the Malaysia Industrial Development Authority.“On one side we are trying to attract more foreign investment, but some investors are complaining that they are facing a shortage of workers,” she added.
Subramaniam replied that foreign employers cannot come here and expect to offer unattractive wages to local workers.
“We are cooperating with other agencies to tackle the labour supply issue.
“A total of RM5bil is being allocated to handle this issue. This include restructuring the economy to help raise productivity, reduce dependency on foreign workers and provide attractive wages to local workers,” Subramaniam added.
3 thoughts on “My parliament question on how Human Resources Ministry is working to attract foreign investment”
Comments are closed.
“A total of RM5bil is being allocated to handle this issue. This include restructuring the economy to help raise productivity, reduce dependency on foreign workers and provide attractive wages to local workers,” Subramaniam added.
– does anybody understand what Subramaniam is saying
– RM5 billion of our tax money used to restructure economy & raise productivity. How? What? When? Where?
– RM5 billion of our tax money also used to reduced dependency and provide attractive wages to local workers???? -> do you mean some of the tax money been channelled into employers to help them pay Malaysians more?
– stop giving vague, wishy-washy and unformative tingkatan 5 answers, ministers.
to reduce dependency on foreign workers, my suggestions would be
1) persuade local employers to invest in automation by granting tax incentives on automation like
1.1 double capital allowance
1.2 witholding tax exemption on consultants providing consultancy work on automation
2) restrict the number of foreign workers’ permit and at the same time, provide more tax deduction iro local workers’ salaries
3) creation of high value jobs opportunities in Malaysia by opening up the investment climate by abolishing outdated equity restriction
4) provide aworkable education system that produces intelligent, all rounded students that can be productive, hardworking, innovative hence attract more sophisticated investment projects
5) creation of child day care centres runned by Malaysians to reduce dependency on foreign maid
6) tax exemption for operators of house cleaning companies whose business is to assist house cleaning for working professionals to reduce dependency on foreign maid; the hiring professionals are also given tex exemption on the hiring charges paid
However, the rot has set in for a long time and I envisage a lot of time is needed before we can turn things around but we have to start somewhere
Hi YB Teresa,
This is a good question that you asked.
The industries are facing huge problem of labour shortage and the ministers just do not know what is going on and just believe that we need to have less dependent on foreign labour (except for their maids ..as the wife of the men will kill them if they ever dare to stop foreign maids)
Unfortunately, the minister just do not see the need for more foreign workers with better control and management.
They just change the rules from time to time so that they and their officials could make some under table money for those who are desparate to get workers.
I could provide you with more information if you required
Keep up with the good work