Majority of petrol-station workers M’sians, says association

KUALA LUMPUR – Even before the Covid-19 pandemic, Malaysians made up a large majority of workers based at petrol stations, despite recent calls to hire more locals in the sector. 

Petroleum Dealers’ Association of Malaysia (PDAM) president Datuk Khairul Annuar Abdul Aziz said local workers comprise about three-quarters of the overall staff employed at fuel stations nationwide.

He said, however, that the presence of migrant workers in urban areas has led to the perception that the 35,000 to 45,000 jobs at the 3,800-odd outlets nationwide are dominated by non-citizens.

Khairul Annuar’s remarks come after Baharuddin Mohd Isa, in an opinion piece carried by The Vibes recently, said petrol stations are among the first places at high risk of spreading Covid-19.

Baharuddin said the self-service policy at petrol stations introduced by the government nearly 25 years ago is not being adhered to, and that locals should be prioritised for jobs at these stations.

In response, Khairul Annuar said Baharuddin’s concern for local workers is a moot point.

“The writer of the article did not do his homework. The Klang Valley and big cities do not represent the whole country, as more than 80% of petrol-station workers are locals.

“The majority of migrant workers are in the Klang Valley, major cities and highway sites.”

Yesterday, The Vibes reported Shell Petroleum Dealers’ Association Malaysia president Datuk Abd Wahid Bidin, also commenting on Baharuddin’s piece, as saying it remains challenging for employers to find locals willing to work at petrol stations.

This is among the reasons behind calls for the government to allow leeway for the sector to hire migrant workers.

There are currently more than 1,000 Shell petrol dealers nationwide, most of which prefer to employ Malaysians, said Wahid.

However, there is a trend of high turnover among them and low interest in working petrol-station jobs.

Echoing Wahid’s remarks, Khairul Annuar said locals are not willing to work outdoors.

“They prefer air-conditioned workplaces. So, being a pump attendant, which includes cleaning toilets and climbing up road tankers to receive fuel, is not a preferred job, as opposed to working at McDonald’s, hypermarkets, malls and such,” he said, adding that migrant workers are “consistent”, while locals have a high turnover rate.

“Even to work as cashiers, you still need to do outdoor chores, which is not preferred.”

He said wages for migrant workers tend to be higher, taking into account the need for accommodation and working visas.

On Covid-19 safety at petrol stations, he said staff should reduce close interactions with customers as pump attendants can meet hundreds of people daily, putting their health at risk.

“The pump area should be fully self-serviced, just like ATMs, vending machines and parking-ticket machines.

“Filling up fuel at the pump is safer than using ATMs and parking-ticket machines as these are totally unmanned, may not be sanitised regularly, and are in air-conditioned areas versus the open spaces for fuel pumps.” – The Vibes, October 7, 2021