JOHOR BARU – Despite not being short of employment opportunities, in hindsight, Johor Baru appears to be overlooked as a destination for workers to build their careers.
This is not something new in the state capital: the administration under the leadership of former menteri besar Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin had already identified the exodus of a talented workforce, who had found packages offered by employers in Singapore more alluring.
Among the initiatives introduced by Khaled back then was to create an outfit under his office, which was tasked to promote the best practices to secure Johoreans in the local workforce and build the state together with the government.
Speaking to The Vibes, former Institut Integriti Kepimpinan dan Latihan Semangat Datuk Onn (Iklas) chief executive officer Johan Arifin Mohd Ropi, 42, said that scarce opportunities led to another problem, which he said has created the current under-employment situation.
Those who intend to remain in Johor will either accept any job offer they can get just to make a living after finishing their studies, while others look for better opportunities in Singapore or even in Kuala Lumpur.
“Only a handful of companies in Johor Baru can match the offers from the neighbouring republic, or even the firms in Kuala Lumpur.
“Even then, not all of these positions are filled by locals, as professionals from other states are brought here by some of these companies to fill key positions.”
Oftentimes, Johan said, small-scale business entities in the wider part of Johor Baru become sort of incubators for industry giants operating outside the state.
“You cannot deny that there is a mismatch between salary packages offered in Johor and the talent’s qualifications.
“While the starting salary for a junior role in Johor and other places may not differ too much, those who work in Kuala Lumpur have a wider choice of opportunities presented to them than those who opt to stay in the state.
“Those who job-hop for better opportunities in Kuala Lumpur could easily elevate their income in just two or three years compared to the professionals working here,” he said.
Self-development over career
Johan also said that the emergence of the gig economy and multiple online trading platforms was also another factor that had stunted the growth of businesses and firms in the state.
“Most people these days would rather do odd jobs or set up their own online businesses than work for a company, as they can see that the potential income and freedom are when they do their own things rather than working for others.
“Young people now believe in self-development and that they can obtain critical skill sets needed throughout their life journey.
“Not many people value career development that much anymore, as at the end of the day, what matters is how much you make.”
He also added that there are Malaysians working in Singapore in so-called “low-skill” labour-intensive jobs despite possessing qualifications simply due to attractive salaries.
“It is all about how much they can bring back home to the family… career projection is not something that tops the list when they decide to work there.”
Johan said that companies in Johor should address these issues if they are serious about retaining the best talent in their ranks, which would directly contribute to the company’s growth itself.
“Even retail sectors could not expand their businesses appropriately, as there is a lack of takers for the low-paying, unskilled labour positions they offer.”
Under-employment is not unique to Johor: the problem currently affects a staggering 2.4 million workers in Malaysia, notes KSI Strategic Institute for Asia-Pacific external relations director Zaim Mohzani. – The Vibes, December 17, 2022
