But foreign workers fill most in convenience, hardware, textile & stationery shops
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN: The Government of His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam through the National Immigration and Registration and Labour Departments, which handle the entry of foreign workers into the country, the district offices and Municipal Departments, which are authorised to issue Miscellaneous Licences, will work hand-in-hand with the Local Employment and Workforce Development Agency to make sure that all businesses will open employment opportunities for citizens and residents of the country, Borneo Bulletin reported.
The government agencies will need to work closely with businesses to realise the aspiration of the nation in overcoming unemployment.
Pehin Udana Khatib Dato Paduka Seri Setia Ustaz Hj Awang Badaruddin bin Pengarah Dato Paduka Hj Awang Othman, Minister of Home Affairs, said in his keynote address at the opening of the Brunei Mini Job Fair yesterday at the Chancellor Hall, UBD after revealing the huge employment opportunities for locals in various sectors which are not taken up by them.
The minister said, “There are many employment opportunities based on the number of businesses that were issued with Miscellaneous Licences nationwide and this does not include restaurant, catering, hotel and tourism sectors.”
Citing findings from the initial survey from district offices and Municipal Departments in December 2012, the minister said some of the business sectors still have vast employment opportunities for locals.
“The government issued 585 licences for convenience shops that employ 4,596 workers.
“This does not include supermarkets and department stores. From the employment figure, only 1,714, or 37 per cent, are locals while 2,882, or 63 per cent, are foreign workers.”
On hardware shops, he said, “138 licences were issued with (permits for) 742 workers; 242, or 33 per cent, workers are locals while 500, or 67 per cent, are foreign workers.”
In textile shops, the minister said 209 licences were issued with (permits for) 563 workers and only 142, or 25 per cent, are local workers while 421 workers, or 75 per cent, are foreigners.
For stationery or book shops, the minister said 68 licences were approved with (permits for) 238 workers. Only 92 workers, or 39 per cent, are locals and the remaining 146 workers, 61 per cent, are foreigners.
Overall, the minister said, “6,139 employment opportunities in the various business sectors were created. Of that 3,952 jobs, or 64 per cent, were filled by foreign workers while the remaining 2,187, or 36 per cent, were filled by locals.
“Looking at the statistics of locals who are actively looking for jobs and are registered with the Local Employment and Workforce Development Agency (APTK) until February this year, there were 2,740 jobseekers. It is evident that employment opportunities are still available looking at the 3,952 jobs that were filled by foreign workers.
“The permitted foreign workers’ quotas for the 46 companies that are currently taking part in the Mini Job Fair are as many as 4,074 (not all work permits were issued), which has shown that every company has the willingness to create jobs. We want to see companies in the country make progress and at the same time contribute to the nation and open employment opportunities to the people of the country,” the minister said.
He also noted that employers still need the service of foreign workers who have been employed for a long time and are also aware that not all local jobseekers can fill in some positions of foreign workers.
Therefore, he said, “the Ministry of Home Affairs has chosen a realistic approach by making employers as strategic partners in an effort to help locals get positions in the private sector.”
Earlier, the minister said t he main reasons behind less locals applying for employment offered during last year’s job fair week were mismatch of job skills, the location of the jobs as well as unattractive salary scales and benefits.
Last year’s job fair week saw 2,470 positioiis offered and only 49 per cent or 1,200 people applied. As many as 279 jobseekers were successful in getting jobs through on-the-spot interviews while others needed fitness and other basic tests.
Also present at the event yesterday were Pehin Datu Lailaraja Major General (Rtd) Dato Paduka Seri Haji Awang Halbi bin Hj Md Yussof, the Deputy Minister. of Home Affairs and officials from various government agencies.
The Brunei Mini Job Fair will conclude May 18 and offers more than 1,500 jobs in hospitality, tourism sectors and also restaurants.
–Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin