Replacing locals with foreign workers will have adverse effect on nation - MEF

SHAH ALAM - The prevalance of employers replacing local workers with foreigners will cause long-term losses to the nation.

Malaysian Employment Federation (MEF) president Datuk Dr Syed Hussain Syed Husman said that difficulties in securing jobs would lead to locals migrating to other countries.

"Local workers will have difficulties in securing a jobs in their own country. This situation would cause them to be interested in working in other countries.

"This is a loss for the country's valuable manpower resources for the long term," he told Sinar Harian on Wednesday.

The Human Resource Ministry have warned that the foreign worker quota approval that has been given to any employer or company would be cancelled if they were found laying off local workers to hire foreign workers.

Its Minister V Sivakumar stated the employer or company would be fined up to RM50,000 for each offence as it goes against Section 60M of the Employment Act 1955.

Hussain stated MEF will not side or support any employers who hire foreign workers at the expense of local workers.

"If it is true some employers were taking foreign employees and laying off locals appropriate action must be taken towards them.

"Other than taking legal action and being punished if found guilty, the employers should be blacklisted and not allowed to hire foreign workers," he said.

He rejected claims that a portion of employers in Malaysia preferred hiring foreign workers over locals.

Hussain said the employers in this country have attempted to hire local workers, but despite the job opportunities offered it did not appeal to them.

"This is because the job opportunities were always categorised as dirty, dangerous and difficult jobs," he said.