Indonesia workers losing out<\/p>\n
V.K. Chin, The Star, Asia News Network, Selangor, Malaysia<\/p>\n
It is impressive that an agreement to recruit 100,000
\nPakistanis to meet the shortage of workers in several sectors
\nshould be signed so soon. This shows that there are other
\ngovernments which are prepared to offer their citizens to help
\nMalaysia.<\/p>\n
Since the labor woes are serious in several key sectors, it is
\nimportant that the administrative and physical process to handle
\nsuch a huge number of workers should be speeded up as the
\nplantation, construction and manufacturing sectors are facing a
\nproduction crisis due to the lack of workers.<\/p>\n
This may not be as simple as it appears at first glance as
\nmuch work will have to be done to match the workers and their
\nprospective employers, who must put forward their needs urgently.<\/p>\n
As the government is not sure of the exact requirements of the
\nemployers in the different sectors, some flexibility has been
\nshown in the agreement. For example, the Pakistanis can work in
\nall the sectors requiring labor thus making it easier for
\nemployers to recruit them.<\/p>\n
Both the Home and Human Resources Ministries will need to work
\nclosely to hasten the recruitment process so that the employers
\nconcerned can continue with their operations without undue delay.<\/p>\n
The government has to take quick action to fill up the
\nvacancies since it has found great difficulty in getting the
\nIndonesians who returned home during the amnesty period to come
\nback as legal workers.<\/p>\n
The government and the employers cannot wait indefinitely for
\nthe return of these workers who are mainly engaged in the
\nconstruction, plantation and agriculture sectors, whose
\nproduction has been seriously affected by the labor shortage.<\/p>\n
It will mean that Indonesians will lose out in these sectors
\nwhere they used to make up the majority of the workers. This will
\nbe serious food for thought for the Indonesian government and it
\nwill have a significant impact on their economy and employment
\nsituation as well.<\/p>\n
This is the price the Indonesian side will have to pay for its
\nred tape and the greed of some of its people to make some quick
\nmoney out of the whole exercise.<\/p>\n
It shows that they are no longer the only player and that they
\nhave tested Malaysia's patience even though Kuala Lumpur would
\nlike to give priority to Indonesian workers to help them out.<\/p>\n
But since they have spurned this good intention, they have
\nlost out in the race for the time being. Hopefully this latest
\ndevelopment will spur the Indonesian government to act quickly in
\nallowing their nationals to return to Malaysia as quickly as
\npossible.<\/p>\n
The door is still being held open for them as Home Affairs
\nMinister Azmi Khalid has said the government would not be seeking
\nworkers from other countries for the time being.<\/p>\n
But if Indonesian officials still think that they hold the
\ntrump card, then Malaysia will have no choice but to look for
\nworkers from other countries to fill the labor void.<\/p>",
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