Prioritise local workers - PM

03 Apr 2023 11:08am

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim (middle) in his speech during the monthly meeting with staff from the Prime Minister's Department at De' Seri Endon Hall, Puspanitapuri on Monday. Also present were Deputy Prime Ministers Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi (left) dan Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof (right). - BERNAMA

PUTRAJAYA - Malaysia welcomes China's leading investment companies to make the country a regional hub.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim stated however companies must prioritise qualified local workers.

"I have proposed it and it was welcomed," he said in his speech during the monthly meeting with staff from the Prime Minister's Department on Monday.

He said unless there were an insufficient amount of workers then the government will approve of hiring non-locals immediately.

"But this is under the condition that companies must prove they're attempt to recruit locals as this represents billions in investment such as oil and gas, pharmaceutical and Geely-Proton," he said.

He said Proton Holdings Bhd (Proton) under Tan Sri Syed Mokhtar Syed Nor Albukhary agreed it will hold a training programme to produce qualified local workers within a two-year projection.

These measures would be taken before the government makes space for professional officers from China if there is a lack of qualified locals.

Anwar said the policy will take into account the country's experience in the implementation of the East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) project and the Twin City project in Kuantan, Pahang.

"Sometimes Chinese workers would all be from their country.

"From hairstylists to restaurant workers and those in various fields would all come from there (China)," he said.

Anwar said China was aware of the agreement and have agreed to work together in terms of having closer relations and being diplomatic trade partners

Anwar's official visit to China for four days, has gained Malaysia the highest investment commitment, valued at RM170 billion.

It represented the largest amount from China so far as the result of the 19 Memorandums of Understanding (MoU) signed between businesses in China and Malaysia in various fields especially in green technology and digital economy.

China has become Malaysia's largest trade partner since 2009. In 2022 the two-way trade in total was valued at RM487.13 billion (US$110.62 billion), and increased by 15.6 per cent from 2021.