KOTA KINABALU: Employers in Sabah are encouraged to contact the Resource Development and Information Technology Ministry if they require clarification and help in the implementation of minimum wage.
Its minister Datuk Dr Yee Moh Chai said the Government has been organising talks and programmes to disseminate information on the RM800 minimum wage implementation.
“We have even organised talks in Mandarin to help local Chinese-speaking business communities gain some input on the matter and let them know that it is already in place and it is only a matter of time for it to be fully implemented,” he said.
Yee stressed the need for employers to be fully informed on the issue, so those requiring more information on the matter should feel free to contact the ministry.
He said Human Resource Minister Datuk Seri Dr. S. Subramaniam’s recently announced that the Government was ready to assist employers in implementing the minimum wage as smoothly as possible, such as the grace period that small sectors can enjoy, among others.
Meanwhile, Yee said the Government has been working continuously on ways to resolve unemployment issues, and is mindful of ‘unsaleable’ sectors that are in need of employees.
He said while the Government is trying to resolve unemployment issues in the state, there is also the need to deal with the problem faced by certain sectors that do not appeal to the local job seekers.
“Among the problems that the Government faces are the challenge of having to satisfy the needs of two different sides.
“On the one hand we have graduates, school leavers and people lacking in skills screaming for jobs, while on the other we have employers crying for people to come and work for them, especially in the oil palm industry, hospitality, restaurants, factories, etc., to the extent that these employers are turning to foreign labour, which we do not encourage or else we will forever be dependent on foreign manpower,” he explained.
“These are just some of the challenges that we face and we are constantly trying to cater to the needs of both sides,” he said.
Yee said the Government is always concerned about unemployment issues in the state and constantly provides platforms for skills development and improvement so that graduates, school leavers and those requiring more skills, can secure jobs in the various fields that need manpower.
“It is not something that can be solved overnight. But the Government, through my ministry has set up platforms like Sabah Job Centre, job fairs, and has even gone around the country to ensure that people are fully aware of the opportunities available for them to grab,” said Yee.
At the same time, unemployed individuals should look further beyond the lack of career opportunities and ask themselves whether they have what it takes to be employed, he said, adding that they should also be ready to grab opportunities provided by the Government and various agencies for self-improvement and skills development.
Meanwhile, Yee said the e-Desa programme will hopefully be able to narrow the digital divide in rural areas and improve the nation’s information and communication technology (ICT) usage towards creating a successful k-economy.
The whole population of the nation needs to be ICT-savvy for k-economy to be realised, he said.
“For the past five years, the Government through my ministry had been conducting and offering free ICT classes and developed e-Desa programme in remote areas as we want everyone in this country to be ICT-savvy.
“We want the rural communities to get the same ICT opportunities, and to have the same connectivity facilities with the rest of the country, so that the whole of our population can compete with the rest of the world in technology,” said Yee.
This, he said, is even more important to achieve the nation’s k-economy objectives.