Getting approval for foreign workers has been made very stringent and there is no way restaurateurs, especially small players, can meet all the conditions required by the government.
— Malaysian Indian Restaurant Owners Association (Primas)
Indian and Indian-Muslim restaurants in Sarawak, just like their counterparts in Malaya, are struggling to stay afloat. Not because they do not have enough customers, but rather from difficulties in hiring workers.
I was a restaurateur once and I understand the problem and plight these people are going through.
Almost all, if not all, rely on foreign chefs and general workers as locals have no interest to work in their establishments which is the main reason for the critical manpower shortage.
There are an estimated 150 Indian eateries in Sarawak but many may have been forced to close shop or are at risk of closure. Difficulties in hiring workers — foreign workers in particular — are the cause of their predicament.
Recently, some of the local owners had a high-powered discussion with a state leader who sympathised with their plight and promised to bring the grievances to the relevant authorities. I was part of the delegation which met the leader.
The ‘relevant authorities’ are the State Secretary’s Office, Immigration Department and Labour Department. These three powerful agencies determine the entry of foreign workers into Sarawak.
Somehow restaurateurs in Malaya may find it easier to hire foreign workers compared to their Sarawak counterparts. What beats me is why it’s the case!
Since we have autonomy over immigration and labour, why make it difficult to hire foreign workers for critical sectors?
It is reliable learnt that Indian restaurants statewide face a shortage of 1,500 workers — foreign and local — without whom they will be hard pressed to effectively serve their customers.
Customers are complaining of sub-par service quality. Many have to wait as long as an hour before being served as manpower shortage is affecting their ability to provide quality service.
I remember friends and customers who used to praise Indian restaurants as being the fastest in the industry in serving their customers.
You hardly get to take your seats and the waiters will take down your orders – drinks first; and you hardly have time to pick the food of your choice. Your mee mamak for example will be on your table within 10 minutes, perhaps even earlier if there aren’t many customers.
And these days? Forget it lah! Believe it or not, you will be kept waiting 10 or 15 minutes before a waiter approaches you and asks for your order. You will be lucky if the food or drinks are served the next 10 or 15 minutes — even if the outlet is three-quarters empty.
This happened to me at a popular restaurant which claimed to have been in business since 1974. I had to press the wireless table bell six times — yes six times and 13 minutes later — before an exhausted waiter with an attitude problem served us.
I ordered a glass of warm lemon tea but I got warm teh O kosong. My friend ordered chapatti and he got roti canai. Another friend ordered mee mamak kurang pedas and she received a plate of noodles that was too hot for her stomach.
This is what you get from Indian-Muslim outlets these days. Can we blame them? I say NO! Blame the authorities for not giving the operators some leeway.
The operators are appealing to the government to relax entry requirements for foreign workers similar to pre-Covid-19 days.
Many of them were forced to send back their workers during the movement control order. Of course there were also workers who returned home for holiday but ended up being stranded in their home countries.
It’s about time the government relaxed the entry requirements for foreign workers — especially those from India — like in pre-coronavirus days.
It’s not that the operators are not giving opportunities to the locals. There is no response from the locals as they are choosy. They are more keen to work in air-conditioned fast-food chains. This is the reason why Indian outlets need foreign workers, especially from India.
They have tried to hire Indonesians, but no matter how hard you train them to cook Indian food, the food do not taste the way customers want them to be.
I came across an operator who lamented that he had to close the tandoori chicken section as the chef who went back to his home country for holiday was unable to return because of strict travel controls.
The owner tried to train a local to cook like the foreigner. But locals avoided the tandoori chicken who complained it tasted ‘rubbery’. There was nothing the poor fella could do except to close down the section.
Unless, state authorities — which boast of having their own immigration and labour laws — come up with a solution fast, in no time Indian restaurants will begin falling like nine pins and we may have to travel to Malaya for Indian food.
Have pity on these business fellas lah.
