Foreign workers assigned in frontline jobs at the airports will be phased out to give way to local workers. The frontline jobs refer to duties where the employees come directly in contact with tourist and passengers.

If you visit major airports today, especially KLIA and LCCT Terminal, you will realize that foreigners made up the bulk of frontline workers. Most of them are employed by contractors assigned by the airports.

However, the decision may result some twist and turn to the job market behavior, which at times can be unpredictable. Other challenges will also arise with the depletion of workers who would show interest in carrying out menial duties such as pushing trolley and cleaning windows, toilets and so on. Some of the jobs require relatively strong and young workers, and with majority bunch of Malaysian youth reluctant to do such jobs, companies might be facing a serious shortage of workforce.

This is evidently reported by Utusan Malaysia:

Sikap pilih kerja punca 400,000 belia menganggur

KUALA LUMPUR 6 April - Sikap rakyat tempatan yang tidak mahu bekerja dalam persekitaran kotor merupakan antara sebab utama kira-kira 400,000 belia menganggur dan keko songan itu direbut oleh warga asing.

Menteri Sumber Manusia, Datuk Dr. S. Subramaniam berkata, sikap memilih be lia tempatan itu menyebabkan mereka sukar mencari pekerjaan dan mendorong pertambahan jumlah warga asing di ne gara ini.

”Gaji yang berpatutan dibayar kepada pekerja tempatan berbanding pekerja asing, namun mereka hanya bertahan sehingga dua atau tiga minggu dalam perkhidmatan seperti hospitaliti, pelancongan dan penyediaan serta penjualan makanan.

”Peluang pekerjaan yang terdapat dalam sektor ini tidak dihargai oleh belia tempatan dan mereka rela menjadi penganggur sehingga mendapat kerjaya yang diminati,” katanya ketika dihubungi Utusan Malaysia di sini hari ini.

The presence of foreign workers have stirred a number of issues in the country in the recent years. Besides crime, overstaying foreigners have caused irritation both to the government and the public. Some even go to the extend of applying PR or citizenship after 10 years - a useless move as Malaysia has no policy of offering citizenship to foreigners who work in the country.

Image: The Star

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