Rakyat masih tolak kerja 3D, sasaran 10% pekerja asing sukar dicapai

The Malaysian government aims to reduce reliance on foreign labor to 10% by 2030, according to the Malaysian Employers Federation (MEF). This target, which is currently 13%, will only be achievable if more Malaysians are willing to take on challenging, hazardous, and difficult jobs, said MEF President Syed Hussain Syed Husman. He emphasized that workers should prioritize Malaysian jobs and that the perception of all jobs as equally important must change.

The government plans to decrease the foreign worker dependency ratio from 15% to 10% by 2030, following a recent statement from Deputy Minister of Investment, Trade, and Industry Sim Tze Tzin, who stated that Malaysia will not increase its reliance on foreign labor despite business demands.

To achieve this goal, automation, artificial intelligence (AI), robotics, and work process improvements are essential to decrease the reliance on manual labor, said Syed Hussain. The transition should be gradual to prevent disrupting industrial operations, investment, and economic growth. He also stressed that any reduction from 13% to 10% must be based on labor market data, productivity, and industry's capacity to replace foreign workers.

Better salaries, stronger vocational and technical education (TVET), and higher competitive wages are necessary to attract more Malaysians to the workforce. The government should strengthen education and vocational training to align the skills of the local workforce with industry needs. However, Razman cautioned that reducing foreign workers should not be done hastily, as sectors like construction, mining, agriculture, and manufacturing still depend on foreign labor.