Jobseeker News in Brief (March 2009)

100,000 expected to lose jobs by April

THE Manpower Department anticipates some 100,000 people in Malaysia to be retrenched by April.

Quoting the department’s director-general Datuk Ismail Rahim, Sin Chew Daily reported that in view of the alarming number the Govern ment must be well prepared to handle the situation.

Citing Singapore as an example, Ismail said the island city was prepared to retrench all its 300,000 foreign workers, of which 200,000 are Malaysians.

Open interviews to fill 20,000 vacancies in civil service

There are 20,000 jobs available in the public sector, especially made available to retrenched workers through open interviews, The Star reported.

The reported noted that Human Resources Ministry may make it easier for applicants by adopting open interviews.

Minister Datuk Dr S. Subramaniam said he had proposed their use to the government.  "I suggested open interviews so that anyone is free to attend the interviews and recruitment is done simultaneously.

45,000 jobs available in civil service

There are 45,000 vacancies in the civil service, excluding those in the teaching profession and the police force.

Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Senator T. Murugiah was quoted in The Star newspaper as saying that he would be meeting with the board of the Public Service Commission, which is responsible for interviewing and recruiting civil servants, particularly on the quota of non-Malays in the service.

Disclosing the figures at the Parliament lobby recently, he said the available places were either due to promotion or retirement.

“There has also been some restructuring of government agencies, which may see more vacancies and demand for more staff from the ministries,” he said.

MCA: Focus on two professions

MCA will focus on strengthening Chinese participation in the civil service by encouraging more to join the teaching and the nursing professions, party president Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat said in a report by The Star.

Ong said focusing on the two professions did not mean that the party was forgoing other professions.

“At the moment, we must give priority to these two professions,” he was quoted as saying in the report.

Fund in honour of Sim

The MCA has launched the Datuk Sim Mow Yu Education Fund for scholarships and loans for Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman students pursuing Chinese studies, The Star reported.

MCA president Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat, who announced the setting up of the RM1mil fund, said the move was part of the party’s efforts to honour Sim.

“We also want to launch this fund to honour and remember Datuk Sim Mow Yu as a man who was passionate about education,” Ong said.
 
He said the scholarship was also part of the party’s grassroots programme for this year.

Graduates lack dynamism and edge

Most Malaysian graduates lack “dynamism and edge”, and are required to change their attitudes, said Human Resources Minister Datuk Dr S. Subramaniam.

“Today’s graduates show a lack in dynamism and edge to survive the requirements of the evolving job industry,” he was reported as saying by The Star newspaper.

Subramaniam said that while the Government was doing its best to overcome the problem of unemployed graduates and retrenched workers, the affected parties should also do their part by changing their approach and mindset.

“When things don’t work out, they often take the easy way out by looking for other jobs.

RM1 million grant to groom young golfers

Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak announced a RM1 million grant to develop young golfers.

In a report by The News Straits Times, he said the grant marked the government's support of developing the country's golfing industry.

"Let us work together to make Malaysia the No. 1 golfing destination in the Asia Pacific region," he said

Najib said Malaysia had the right ingredients to become a premier destination for golfers.

RM20 Million For Upgrading Of KTM Train Service

The Transport Ministry has allocated more than RM20 million for upgrading of the Keretapi Tanah Melayu (KTM) train service, especially to replace old coaches with old and more sophisticated ones, reported news agency Bernama.

Its Deputy Minister, Datuk Seri Lajim Ukin, said upgrading of the service was necessary to ensure passengers travel in comfort.

"The allocation does not include refurbishing of existing coaches, like installing air conditioners, and renovation of existing stations," he said in the report.

Malaysians Last To Be Retrenched In Singapore

Malaysians would be the last workers to be retrenched in Singapore during the global economic slump, said the Minister of Human Resources, Datuk Dr. S. Subramaniam in a newsreport by Bernama.

He said this was because Malaysian workers had more skills and abilities as required by Singaporean industry compared to other foreign workers in the island republic.

"When it comes to retrenching foreign workers, the Singapore government has maintained a policy of putting Malaysian workers at the bottom of the list.

"We don't have the figures yet but the number of Malaysians retrenched in Singapore is very low,' he said in the report

80,000 Workers Temporarily Laid-off

Some 80,000 workers from various sectors have been temporarily laid-off until last month, almost double than the figure expected, said Human Resources Minister Datuk Dr S. Subramaniam.

In a report by Bernama, he said some 19,000 workers had been retrenched until last month, 4,000 more than the expected figure.

"We had expected 45,000 workers would be temporarily laid-off by last month. Some workers are working up to four days a week while others had their working hours shortened from 12 hours to eight hours a day," he said.

(Source: Jobsdb Malaysia)