Crisis managed<\/p>\n
The progress of the migrant-worker issue proves once again
\nthat in crisis there lies opportunity. Following the recent
\nrampages of Indonesian workers, corrective action and forthright
\npolicy decisions followed upon each other with commendable
\ncelerity. Troublemakers were sent home; Indonesians were denoted
\nworkers of last choice; nationals of other foreign countries were
\ninvited to take up the slack. The sudden shock to those parts of
\nour system that had come to depend on Indonesian labour was
\nquickly softened by the relaxation of the new strictures on
\nhousehold staff -- a good move in ensuring that not all
\nIndonesian nationals are tarred with the same brush.<\/p>\n
Concurrently, Royal Professor Ungku Aziz's suggestion that our
\nrural poor be tapped for manpower needs dovetails nicely with the
\ngrowing willingness of employers to avail themselves of local
\nlabour through government agencies such as the Manpower
\nDepartment. It is a matter of matching needs, with a greater
\ndetermination to bring manpower resources back in line with
\noverall objectives of national socio-economic development.<\/p>\n
Where a month ago we had hundreds of thousands of foreign
\nworkers at the outer limits of control, now we have a new
\napproach to manpower resource management, a renewed focus on
\npoverty alleviation, and the basis for greater regional co-
\noperation on migrant workers. Finding solutions that not only
\ncure the problem but prevent it -- this is truly making the best
\nof a bad situation.<\/p>\n
-- New Straits Times, Kuala Lumpur<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/crisis-managed-1447899208", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }