Steps in place to lure locals to work in industries – DCM

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PUTATAN: Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Seri Panglima Yahya Hussin said the Government is constantly taking steps to attract more locals to work in industries in the state.

One of the steps is to provide the youths and school leavers with skills training so that they are “marketable”, he said when officiating at a skills training exhibition organised by the state Human Resource Development Department (JPSM) which was held at the multi-purpose hall here yesterday.

Priority is given to those who have no opportunity to go for further studies and with the training, they will be able to compete with their peers as well as have the opportunity to get a job, said Yahya who is also the Agriculture and Food Industry Minister.

“I was made to understand that many of JPSM trainees have been very successful as they are highly sought after by the private sector. In fact some of them are working in foreign countries and are doing very well,” he added.

The Petagas assemblyman said that other steps taken to attract Sabahans to stay and work in the state were to offer them higher salaries, give them perks and provide them with facilities such as accommodation.

He pointed out that lately, the issue of foreign workers has been a hot topic among the people but it cannot be denied that they are still needed in Sabah.

“We have so many vacancies in sectors such as plantations  as the locals are not interested in those jobs and prefer to go to Peninsular Malaysia to work in factories or even in the hospitality sector,” he said but pointed out that even the number of foreign workers, especially from Indonesia, is decreasing.

The Indonesians prefer to work in their homeland as more and more plantations are being opened up there, he said adding, “the pay is about the same as here and they are much close to home, that’s why they prefer to work there”.

“In fact, we are facing a shortage of foreign workers. That is why we must attract and encourage locals to work in these sectors,” he said.