Assemblyman calls for jobs for stateless in Sabah
KOTA KINABALU: Likas Assemblyman Junz Wong, also DAP Sabah Secretary, has cautioned the Sabah Government that it’s restrictions on the intake of labour from the Philippines and Indonesia was not working. He urged the government to lift the restrictions instead of considering proposals that it turn to other countries to meet the state’s labour needs.
Nearer home, he proposed that the Sabah Government turn to those locally-born but kept out of the labour force because of their status as stateless people.
“These people were born here and grew up here,” he pointed out in a statement. “They should not be denied a chance to join the labour force. Sabah needs more workers.”
“The Sabah Government should capitalize on the stateless Sabah-born people and make them part of the work force. This can help resolve the shortage of workers in the state.”
Wong was begging to disagree with Luyang Assemblyman Hiew King Cheu who urged the Sabah Government to turn to other countries to meet the state’s labour needs instead of relying on the Philippines and Indonesia. “The main problem is quota restrictions,” argued Wong. “Employers complain that the quota covering foreign workers was not enough for them.”
“It’s time to review and relax the quota system. There certainly was a market-driven need to employ more foreign workers for many industries in Sabah.”
Wong noted that the Sabah Restaurant Fellowship Association and the Keningau Chinese Chamber of Commerce have appealed to the government to do away with quotas for the hiring of foreign workers in the food and beverage (F&B), service and agriculture industries. “Many Sabahans have chosen not to work in these industries.”
The strict quota limits, he reiterated, was hampering development of the Sabah economy as a whole.
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