Effective measures to reduce dependence on foreign labour

DAP National Deputy Chairman and MP for Kepong Dr Tan Seng Giaw presses the Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak to announce the details of the eight Strategic Reform Initiatives (SRIs) to drive the New Economic Models (NEM) such as developing a quality workforce and reducing dependency on foreign labour.

Although Home MInister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein says that there are 1.8 million legal foreign workers, we do not know the actual number of illegal immigrants in the country. One estimate is three to four million.

On 7.9.2010, Dr Tan looks at the media report of the SRIs revealed by Najib yesterday. We see many abbreviations like NEM, SRI, KPI,NKRA and NKEA as well as headlines. We would like to know the contents and the effective measures to achieve them,.

One initiaf is developing a quality workforce and reducing dependency on foreign labour. I have often raised this matter. For example, in June 2010, Hisham answered the question the way media have been reporting including 1.8 million legal foreign workers.

Since human beings have been on this earth, migration has been taking place. People move form villages to towns and from poor or less stable country to richer or more stable country. For over 30 years, Malaysia has been facing many legal and illegal immigrants.

Owing to various factors, locals do not like working in plantation, building site or as domestic help. Foreigners fill the gap. for every legal foreign worker, how many are illegal? In Kuala Lumpur, those who go to Chow Kit Road or Petaling Street or to markets like Selayang, can see many foreign workers.

While waiting for the contents of the 8 SRIs, we would like to know the effective steps on illegals. This includes Governemnt action against agencies which work hand in glove with syndicates for illegals or legals. As Malaysia has long shorlines and there are syndicates, how will the Government deal with them?


Dr Tan Seng Giaw