ID :
25629
Mon, 10/20/2008 - 19:59
Auther :
Shortlink :
http://m.oananews.org//node/25629
The shortlink copeid
ONE IN FIVE WORKERS IN MALAYSIA IS A FOREIGNER
KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 20 (Bernama) -- Almost 20 per cent of the labour force in
Malaysia are foreigners.
This translates into one foreigner to every five local workers.
A symposium on foreign workers policy in Malaysia was also told that almost
half of more than 252,600 jobs created in the country each year, were for
foreigners.
Human Resource Ministry secretary-general Thomas George said the
increasingly liberal policy towards employment of foreign workers was attributed
to rapid economic growth driven largely by rapid industralisation taking place
in the country.
Opening the National Symposium on Foreign Workers Policy in Malaysia,
organised jointly by the ministry and the International Labour Organisation
(ILO), he said there were some 2.2 million foreign workers in the country out of
the total workforce of 11.3 million people.
However, George added that the government was persistently taking measures
to reduce over-dependency on foreign workers and to safeguard employment for
locals.
The government has decided to progressively reduce the current dependency
on foreign workers from 2.2 million to 1.5 million by 2015.
In terms of sectors, foreign workers are predominantly employed in the
manufacturing sector at 36 per cent, followed by plantation 24.6 per cent, as
domestic maids 15.7 per cent, construction sector 14.2 per cent and the rest in
other sectors.
George said the past year or two, the ministry had engaged in numerous
forums with employers, unions and non-governmental organisations, and had come
to a general consensus that there was a need to reduce dependence on foreign
workers, improve the management of foreign workers and to have clear and more
stringent procedures on their entry.
He said efforts were also being made to protect their rights, have
clear contracts prior to departure from sending countries, and hold third party
engaged in labour movement accountable of any breaches.
George said Malaysia acknowleged that it needed foreign workers, at least
for now, and to address some major areas to ascertain the actual demand
according to sectors.
He said it also needed to study the impact of foreign workers on the
Malaysian labour environment, including the issues of wages, working conditions,
health, compensation and employment conditions, and to tighten the process of
recruitment and continuous management of foreign workers.
Meanwhile, a senior officer from the ministry, Azizah Ariffin, said
foreigners took about 45 per cent of new jobs created annually in the
country.
Delivering a paper on assessing the need for foreign workers and its impact
on the Malaysian economy, Azizah said the over-utilisation of foreign labour
resulted in a host of problems, including lower average productivity, displacing
of local workers, depressed wages, unfavourable balance of payment, and social
and safety issues.
She said although foreign workers contributed 11.1 per cent to the
country's Gross Domestice Product in 2006, they remitted about RM3.43 billion
out of Malaysia last year to their country of origin.
"Because of the high percentage of foreign workers, wage rates, especially
for unskilled workers in Malaysia, will remain low and employers will want to
employ foreigners because they are relatively cheaper.
However, she said, the government was striving to reduce the dependence on
foreign labour in the various sectors:
For the manufacturing sector, it would legislate new policies and
strategies to attract more participation of women in the labour market,
implement an effective mechanisation programme and identify skills needed by the
industry, carry out training programmes and assist SMEs to use mechanisation to
reduce foreign recruitment.
For the service sector, it would enforce self-service methods, particularly
for petrol stations and restaurants. It would also provide an attrative and
condusive working environment for local workers and provide tax exemption
incentive to encourage automation.
As for the plantation sector, the government would attract rural people
with better basic infrastructure, health services, schools, affordable homes and
day-care centres.
For the construction industry, it would encourage the implementation of the
Industrial Building System (IBS) and grant importation permits to import
cranes.
-- BERNAMA
Malaysia are foreigners.
This translates into one foreigner to every five local workers.
A symposium on foreign workers policy in Malaysia was also told that almost
half of more than 252,600 jobs created in the country each year, were for
foreigners.
Human Resource Ministry secretary-general Thomas George said the
increasingly liberal policy towards employment of foreign workers was attributed
to rapid economic growth driven largely by rapid industralisation taking place
in the country.
Opening the National Symposium on Foreign Workers Policy in Malaysia,
organised jointly by the ministry and the International Labour Organisation
(ILO), he said there were some 2.2 million foreign workers in the country out of
the total workforce of 11.3 million people.
However, George added that the government was persistently taking measures
to reduce over-dependency on foreign workers and to safeguard employment for
locals.
The government has decided to progressively reduce the current dependency
on foreign workers from 2.2 million to 1.5 million by 2015.
In terms of sectors, foreign workers are predominantly employed in the
manufacturing sector at 36 per cent, followed by plantation 24.6 per cent, as
domestic maids 15.7 per cent, construction sector 14.2 per cent and the rest in
other sectors.
George said the past year or two, the ministry had engaged in numerous
forums with employers, unions and non-governmental organisations, and had come
to a general consensus that there was a need to reduce dependence on foreign
workers, improve the management of foreign workers and to have clear and more
stringent procedures on their entry.
He said efforts were also being made to protect their rights, have
clear contracts prior to departure from sending countries, and hold third party
engaged in labour movement accountable of any breaches.
George said Malaysia acknowleged that it needed foreign workers, at least
for now, and to address some major areas to ascertain the actual demand
according to sectors.
He said it also needed to study the impact of foreign workers on the
Malaysian labour environment, including the issues of wages, working conditions,
health, compensation and employment conditions, and to tighten the process of
recruitment and continuous management of foreign workers.
Meanwhile, a senior officer from the ministry, Azizah Ariffin, said
foreigners took about 45 per cent of new jobs created annually in the
country.
Delivering a paper on assessing the need for foreign workers and its impact
on the Malaysian economy, Azizah said the over-utilisation of foreign labour
resulted in a host of problems, including lower average productivity, displacing
of local workers, depressed wages, unfavourable balance of payment, and social
and safety issues.
She said although foreign workers contributed 11.1 per cent to the
country's Gross Domestice Product in 2006, they remitted about RM3.43 billion
out of Malaysia last year to their country of origin.
"Because of the high percentage of foreign workers, wage rates, especially
for unskilled workers in Malaysia, will remain low and employers will want to
employ foreigners because they are relatively cheaper.
However, she said, the government was striving to reduce the dependence on
foreign labour in the various sectors:
For the manufacturing sector, it would legislate new policies and
strategies to attract more participation of women in the labour market,
implement an effective mechanisation programme and identify skills needed by the
industry, carry out training programmes and assist SMEs to use mechanisation to
reduce foreign recruitment.
For the service sector, it would enforce self-service methods, particularly
for petrol stations and restaurants. It would also provide an attrative and
condusive working environment for local workers and provide tax exemption
incentive to encourage automation.
As for the plantation sector, the government would attract rural people
with better basic infrastructure, health services, schools, affordable homes and
day-care centres.
For the construction industry, it would encourage the implementation of the
Industrial Building System (IBS) and grant importation permits to import
cranes.
-- BERNAMA
