Reskilling

MALAYSIA is trying to reduce its dependency on low-skilled foreign workers as it moves up the economic value chain. To reduce the number of foreign low-skilled workers, both the businesses and industries across all the economic sectors are asked to hire more locals and embrace automation with the aim of becoming a high-income nation. And interestingly they have been doing so, where local employees have become the first choice. Still, businesses and industries across all the economic sectors need low-skilled foreigners to fill up the many jobs available where the locals are reluctant to take on. Most of the jobs taken up by the foreign workers are low entry levels considered to be dirty, dangerous, and difficult or 3D – reasons as to why the locals shy away. Also, the locals are seeking a more balanced lifestyle, better paying jobs like work in the gig economy or going abroad for the same low entry level jobs. Today, the labour shortage issues have worsened, now estimated … [Read more...] about Worker shortage is the biggest challenge

AS you’re aware, there is a serious manpower situation that Malaysia is facing. Some are saying Malaysia is at breaking point. It’s feared that our country is missing a golden opportunity to capitalise on high palm oil prices and will suffer production losses because of the acute shortage of workers. What has been done? According to the Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB) report in 2015, up to 78% of the oil palm plantation workers are foreign workers, with most of them coming from Indonesia. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, there was no new arrival of foreign workers beginning from March 2020, and Malaysia recently opened its international borders on April 1, 2022. Due to the shortage of workers in the oil palm plantation sector, expected revenue losses are around RM20bil. ALSO READ: More foreign labour soon This has led to the Malaysian Cabinet to agree to a special exemption for the intake of 32,000 foreign workers for the palm oil sector in April 2022. As mentioned much … [Read more...] about Resolving worker shortage woes