KUALA LUMPUR — The notion that Malaysians are loathe to settle with a job that is 3D — dangerous, dirty, and difficult — is simply not true, says a local NGO.
It’s just that more than half a million Malaysians hold down 3D jobs in neighbouring Singapore, not Malaysia itself. So…yeah, we’ll still need those 1.5-million Bangladeshi workers, then.
President of Pertubuhan Rapat Malaysia, A Rajaretinam told mStar’s Loshana K Shagar that Malaysians are mainly shying away from tough jobs in the local market because of poor wages.
“According to our records, 600,000 Malaysians are working 3D jobs in Singapore. If they can bring themselves to do it outside the country, they can do the same here,” Rajaretinam said at a press conference in KL today.
“The problem is, why would they settle to work for RM900 a month here, when they can earn SGD1,000 for doing the exact same job in Singapore?”
Deputy Prime Minister (and Home Minister) Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi recently remarked that the impending entry of 1.5 million foreign workers from Bangladesh over the next three years was a necessary move, seeing as Malaysians were not seen to be keen on taking up the jobs they would be doing in the country.
The Bangladeshi workforce would be mainly channelled to the farming, manufacturing, construction, and service industries.
However, Zahid urged local youths to consider taking up jobs in the stigma-laden Dangerous, Dirty, and Difficult classification.
Many quarters are concerned that a large influx of foreign labour into the country would further erode locals’ job prospects.
The president of the Malaysian Coalition of Indian NGOs, K Arumugam, said at the same press conference today that the Federal Government should raise the minimum wage for 3D jobs in the country, to attract more local manpower.
“They (young Malaysians) are willing to do the tough jobs, but you have to make it worth their while. A reasonable monthly wage would be at least RM1,500. How else would they be able to support their familes?” he asked.
Text: Coconuts KL
