Problems of unemployment

Unemployment is a universal and major setbacks of a modern civilisation. Like anywhere else in the world, unemployment rate in Sarawak is considerably high.

To understand the root cause of this problems, we must relate it to our government’s labour policy. When the government allows the recruitment of cheap foreign labourers into the country, it has some side effects on the local labour market. It has since spoiled the chances of local people to secure employment especially in the manufacturing sectors. When the employer have wide choices of cheap labour supplies, especially from Indonesia, our local citizens are being deprived of their common rights to job opportunities. Not only that, the availability of cheap labour markets also has deprived the local citizens of better pay structures. Take for example in the plywood manufacturing industries, with the Indonesian labourers ready to take up these jobs for a daily wages of RM8 – RM9, surely the employers would opt for these labourers. How could local people survive with this kind of wages especially so, when the cost of living is on the rise. If these cheap labour supplies were not available to these employers, the chances for demanding higher daily wages for locals would be better.

Another setback and disadvantages of over-dependent on foreign labourers is that the country tend to lose in the forms of foreign exchange, that is when the money is taken out of the country or the outflow of cash. So, the government should review this policy, especially the state government, so as to help the local citizens, not foreigners.

Not only Indonesian labourers pose a threat to our local labour markets, the intrusion of skilled workforce from the peninsula are also a threat to the citizens of Sarawak, which deprived us of our opportunities to secure good employment especially in the oils and gas industries. This is very prominent in the case of MLNG, ABF and oil palm plantations where top jobs are dominated by semenanjung people. Others includes such areas as teaching profession, police force and the military.

What jobs are left for us, the Sarawak citizens? Obviously, we don’t have much choices, but to work as labourers (kerja kontrak or berkuli dengan Cina) on a daily rate basis, and this accounts for a large number of local workforce. Others might be farmers by tradition, fisherman and other odd jobs. Some who are lucky enough might be able to secure better jobs such as clerks, teachers, police, doctors, lawyers, but too few.

Where is justice? There’s a proverb “Anak kera disusukan, anak sendiri mati kelaparan”, which match our present situation in Sarawak. People, wake up from your sleep, it’s time to realize your destiny.