While Sarawak maintains its immigration control as part of the state safety net, the interplay between state and federal laws engenders contradictions that may be detrimental to the people and to society.
— Dr Linda Alfarero Lumayag, senior lecturer at UNIMAS
Tell me, are we really serious about wanting to speed up the state’s economic recovery? Or help our entrepreneurs — big- and small-time — hasten the rate of their business recovery?
I am talking about foreign labour. Yes, specifically about the recruitment of foreign workers which doesn’t seem to be making any headway for the poor employers who are at their wits end trying to revive their businesses devastated by the COVID-19 pandemic last two years.
But what do we have here? Bureaucratic spanners being thrown in the works, so much so it’s virtually impossible for some businesses to recover, forcing a few of them to close shop. Restaurants, among other sectors that are heavily reliant on foreign workers, are the hardest hit.
So far, all we have gotten from some people whom we thought we could bank on is lip service.
Our leaders have been passionately talking about reviving the economy, pledging and distributing billions of ringgit in economic aid to help our business people and the ordinary citizens. Thanks to these caring visionary state leaders, Sarawak has been able to weather the pandemic storm and now we have moved into endemicity.
But our leaders’ efforts appear to be derailed by some top fellas in agencies and departments who are bent on keeping bureaucracy alive. But, if you asked me, I would say red tape in this state is still very much alive despite what has been said by our leaders, simply because our people in some key agencies and departments are not working well together at exactly the same time and speed with our leaders.
Frankly, it’s my view that red tape has hardly been reduced. In fact it’s here to stay — that is, if these people are still in power in these agencies and departments.
I’d better stop ranting about red tape and inefficiency in these agencies and move on to what I was about to talk about in today’s column — foreign workers.
I have written about this topic umpteen times in the past and I have no choice but to harp on it, yet again! I need to, not that the foreign labour issue will be looked into after the people in power read my column, but simply because I need to highlight what my friends in the plantation and services sectors are going through!
The acute shortage of workers in these sectors need a quick resolution and pragmatic prioritisation to put the state’s economy on the path of recovery.
Recovery efforts are being hampered because employers are not allowed to have the required number of workers.
Not enough workers? Hire Sarawakians instead! Hello, locals are not keen lah to work in restaurants and oil palm plantations! They do not want to get their hands dirty or are prepared to work hard. But they are willing to work in air-conditioned supermarkets and shopping malls even if the towkays pay them peanuts.
As one restaurateur said in a WhatsApp group (unedited): “We’re are very frus becos we cant get local workers becos they avoid work done by foreigners… dia orang suka kerja tempat aircon cam supermart dan shopping complex.”
Oil palm plantations are lamenting because Sarawak is only allowing workers from Indonesia while plantations in Malaya allow employers to choose workers from several countries, including Bangladesh.
Relying solely on the Indonesians is not a wise idea as they are no longer keen to work in our country because of restrictions by their government. Also, many of them rather work in their country because they are paid better — and treated better!
Until suitable automated harvesting equipment are available, our plantations are heavily dependent on foreign workers. So, it’s about time Sarawak opened its borders to other nations.
The same goes to restaurants, especially Indian eateries, which are 100 per cent operated by the local Indian community. Many are heavily reliant on chefs from India. But certain agencies are making it difficult for them. Without skilled chefs, many of the 300 eateries statewide are forced to wind up.
“We have appealed and even pleaded to the relevant two departments to allow us to recruit more chefs (from India) but the people there are not listening. They said rule is rule.
“They asked us to recruit locals … but come on lah! Our locals are not prepared to work in makan shops, even when we are prepared to pay them high wages,” said an owner who operates more than 10 eateries statewide.
He is hoping that the leaders will look into their plight and get the agencies to relax the ruling.
I was made to understand that applications for workers have to go through two departments, and they handle the applications separately.
May I suggest all applications in future go through a central committee with senior representatives of these two independent departments of if there are ministries, then their deputy ministers, be represented in this committee.
Any approval made is final and not subjected to review by Little Napoleons. Those in the committee should comply with guidelines laid down by our leaders. This will resolve the issue of red tape — hopefully, I think!
