KUALA LUMPUR – The Malaysian Employers Federation (MEF) has proposed to allow industries with labour shortages to source from refugees, undocumented foreign workers, and prisoners on minor crimes.
MEF president Datuk Syed Hussain Syed Husman J.P. said the suggestion is a stopgap measure until recruited migrant workers arrive in Malaysia.
“MEF is proposing a special approval to be given to use the labour available in the country now. We can source the required labour from among the refugees, undocumented foreign workers here, and prisoners on minor crimes.
“These people with the special approval of the government can be deployed immediately to fill up the acute shortage until the new foreign workers finally arrive. It was reported that there are about 168,000 refugees holding UNHCR cards and more than 60% of them are potentially employable.”
He added that employers need the new workers urgently to assist their recovery efforts in a stopgap measure until all issues on foreign labour recruitment are resolved.
“The Malaysian business community has spent a lot of time and resources to fill up the shortages, but to no avail. With the higher global demand for Malaysian products and services, every second delay translates to loss of revenue for businesses and the government.
“MEF is very concerned that after close to three months of opening up the applications to recruit new foreign workers, none have been brought in yet.
“Similar shortages are being experienced by other sectors such as manufacturing, tourism, retail services, and construction.”
For example, he said, any delay in harvesting crops will lead to losses, and the plantation industry stands to lose RM30 billion due to a shortage of workers.
Malaysia has faced acute shortages in labour after the government implemented a freeze on new foreign workers in 2020 and 2021 due to the Covid-19 and border closure.
The freeze was lifted mid-February, but sectors such as palm oil plantations, domestic help, and manufacturing have been struggling to keep pace.
Last October, Putrajaya granted the plantation sector special approval to bring in 32,000 foreign workers to address its labour shortage.
For now, Malaysian palm oil players will have to wait until May or June for the new batch of workers. – The Vibes, April 29, 2022
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