{
  "id": 2687840,
  "title": "Rakyat masih tolak kerja 3D, sasaran 10% pekerja asing sukar dicapai",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/23/rakyat-masih-tolak-kerja-3d-sasaran-10-pekerja-asing-sukar-dicapai",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-08-23T01:00:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Free Malaysia Today",
    "slug": "free-malaysia-today",
    "url": "https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/bahasa/tempatan/2026/08/23/rakyat-masih-tolak-kerja-3d-sasaran-10-pekerja-asing-sukar-dicapai"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "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.\n\nTo 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.",
  "summary": "Sasaran kurangkan pekerja asing kepada 10% menjelang 2030 sukar dicapai jika rakyat tempatan masih enggan menceburi pekerjaan kotor, berbahaya dan sukar.",
  "key_points": [
    "Malaysian government aims to reduce foreign labor to 10% by 2030",
    "Current reliance on foreign workers is 13%, needs more Malaysian workers",
    "Automation, AI, robotics and improved work processes key to transition"
  ],
  "editors_take": "The government's target to cut foreign labor reliance to 10% by 2030 hinges on Malaysians taking up challenging jobs and industry efforts to boost automation and local worker productivity.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Free Malaysia Today",
        "title": "Rakyat masih tolak kerja 3D, sasaran 10% pekerja asing sukar dicapai",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/23/rakyat-masih-tolak-kerja-3d-sasaran-10-pekerja-asing-sukar-dicapai-2691501",
        "published": "2026-08-23T01:00:00.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}