Padang women fight way to Malaysia

Padang women fight way to Malaysia

PADANG, West Sumatra: Hundreds of Minangkabau women from West Sumatra are seeking employment in Malaysia.

The head of the West Sumatra manpower ministry office, Masri Rusli, said recently that the Minangkabau workers were mainly interested in working in electronic factories in the neighboring country.

"As many as 200 female workers were sent in the first quarter of this year and have been employed in electronic factories while hundreds of others are waiting for passports and working visas," he said as quoted by Antara.

He said that it was difficult for the younger generation in the province to get jobs in West Sumatra.

"Many female workers from the province go to Malaysia to work because they receive higher pay and other facilities such as dormitories and transportation allowances," he said.

In anticipation of the increasing number of female workers interested in going to Malaysia, he said that his office was designing better programs in all of the province's training centers. (rms)