Saturday October 19, 2013
By Nik Naizi Husin
MARAN: There are about 400,000 unemployed in the country and this is partly due to the people being too choosy in the kind of jobs they want.
Deputy Human Resources Minister Datuk Ismail Abdul Muttalib said there were 2.1 million foreigners working here.
“They are happy and are earning a good income,” he said.
Ismail however, said if the 400,000 Malaysians were not too choosy in their choice of jobs, they could replace the jobs which are currently held by the foreign workers.
He said the number of unemployment in this country is considered low by International Labour Organisation (ILO) as it is at 3% compared to the other developing countries which are above 4%.
“There are some 1.4 million civil servants and six million working in the private sector.
“The number of employees in both sectors are expected to increase due to the various development programmes that need skilled workers in various fields,” Ismail said after attending the Maran parliamentary constituency “Ibadat Korban” programme in Pekan Tajau here.
He said the skilled labour available at present is at 28% while the country needed at least 50% of them in the year 2020.
Ismail said the skilled courses are widely opened in various higher learning institutions and even at certificate level.
“Now it is up to our people on whether they want to pursue their studies in skilled courses or in pure academics or other professional jobs.
“However, if they are still choosy, they would be left out and remained unemployed.
“It is not right for them to blame the Government for their unemployment because they are the ones who dared not to try out their skills in the awaiting jobs for them,” he said.
Ismail said it is also quite impossible for any country in this world to have zero unemployment.