REDUCE LOCAL UNEMPLOYEMENT

Rising unemployment among the local population has alarmed the public which urged relevant authority to start looking at local talents and capabilities as their sources of workforces, and urged local industries to review their option and start employ local as “it is their social obligation to play a role in reducing rising and continuous unemployment amongst the local people. He specifically mentioned hospitality, manufacturing and retail industries such as garment factories and supermarkets as sources of employment for the unemployed locals and these sectors must review their policies and start employing locals.

The unemployment situation here remains a considerable concern and unless SME and private companies review their policies the growth of new unemployment opportunities in the public sectors is not sufficient to absorb school dropouts, university graduates and new entrants to the local market. It is the duty of the industries to provide training to absorb local people into their workforces, these industries should be able to absorb the unemployed local as they need large workforces, currently being filled up by foreign workers.In a research conducted, some 70 to 85% of foreign workers had been engaged to work in hotels, garment factories, supermarkets and private companies. Unemployment is estimated above 6000 and is expected to increase annually and would burden the nation if not rectified.

The reasons such as the local have been very selective and would not work for lower salaries and not to work extra and longer times should not be capitalized by the industries and private companies but most importantly those industries and private companies must show responsibilities by providing incentives, training and guidance as well as opportunities to be able to attract local workforces.I hope that the relevant authorities can implement and make compulsory a quota system for relevant sectors and these industries must employ a certain number of locals before they are permitted to employ foreign workers.With such system I do believe the national unemployment problems could be handle if not solved. I urged the relevant agency not to allow for the renewal of foreign works term contract so that the vacancies could be filled up by locals. Similarly retiring civil servants should not be allowed to continue their services so unemployed local could fill up the vacancies.There are solutions for every issue if all relevant parties sit down to discuss the matters.

By Dr Hj Mohd Hatta B Hj Zainal Abidin