KOTA KINABALU – Employment opportunities must be made available in Sabah to avoid a surge in joblessness due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
MCA central committee member Datuk Chew Kok Woh said the hiring of locals should be prioritised.
He said employers prefer to hire migrant workers as their salaries are lower compared with locals.
“The state government must incentivise Sabahans, and give them a fair salary.”
He said the pandemic has impacted many businesses in the state, with thousands of people being laid off as a result of the lockdown.
However, more than 100,000 migrants still work in the plantation sector, besides undertaking other dangerous, dirty and difficult jobs.
Echoing Chew’s views, Sabah DAP secretary Chan Foong Hin said the state government is not doing enough to deal with the problem of unemployment.
“I think the government is too focused on giving out assistance in the form of moratoriums, Employees Provident Fund withdrawals and cash aid.
“These are short-term remedies that barely deal with Sabah’s unemployment issue.”
The Kota Kinabalu MP said graduates, especially, face a tough time getting hired, and the same can be said for those who have been recently laid off.
He said those in the gig-economy also face a similar situation, with the economic effects of the pandemic forcing them to start looking for greener pastures.
“They are not permanent workers attached to any company; they are freelancers who work in the informal sector.
“For these workers, the government is also not doing enough.”
Chan said the government should consider automating and mechanising some sectors, like ones involving rubbish collection, agriculture and construction.
He said locals should be trained in new machinery and given a fair salary for work done in these areas. – The Vibes, February 20, 2021
Additional reporting by Rebecca Chong
