Voon: Riot may have made an over-statement

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KUCHING: Human Resources Minister Datuk Seri Richard Riot may have overstated it when he said that Malaysians are choosy over jobs.

PKR women national vice-president Voon Shiak Ni who is also PKR Stampin branch vice-chairperson, said that Riot’s statement about Malaysian needing to change their attitude by not too choosy over jobs or just wanted to work in the public sector.

Riot told the press after attending a briefing on ‘Human Capital Development Strategic Reform Initiatives’ in Putrajaya on Tuesday, said Malaysia had so many jobs in various sectors but were mostly filled by foreign workers.

He said out of the about 5.8 million foreign workers in Malaysia, only 2.9 million were legal workers

Voon said instead of saying there were many job opportunities available it would be better for Malaysians if Riot could enlighten the people where all the job vacancies were.

“The statistics is worrying but the influx of illegal workers to our country should be addressed as a separate issue.

“We should instead ask the relevant authorities for their failure to bar and detect the large number of workers allowed to live and work here illegally,” she said through a press statement received here yesterday.

Voon, said the real issue for Malaysian workers was not about being choosy but looking for a job that matched one’s expertise, training and skills.

“A common example is a student who obtains study loan from PTPTN having been advised to take up courses like technician or nursing but after finishing their training, they cannot find a job that matches their expertise. Many have no choice but to work as promoters at shopping malls.”

Instead of putting the blame on Malaysian, Voon said the Human Resources Ministry should conduct a survey on the issue in order to understand the real situation on the ground and the graduates’ hardship.

“Chief Minister Tan Sri Datuk Amar Adenan Satem made an announcement earlier this year that Sarawak Corridor of Renewable Energy (SCORE) would provide high-paying jobs and over one million new jobs. He also said that as of March this year 16,000 jobs had already been approved.”

“Maybe the public and the young people should be made aware and enlightened on the intake for these 16,000 jobs and provide details on the nature of the jobs.”

Voon said her point was that the government had always been announcing that thousands of jobs were available and yet many Malaysians, especially the young still could not find a job.

“Therefore, it is not fair to make a sweeping statement that our young people are choosy leading to the influx of millions of foreign workers.

“It is also a known fact that many young people have applied for jobs but failed to get a job that matches their skills and expertise,” she said.