Image credit: Malay Mail
KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian Employers Federation (MEF) has shot down claims that social discrimination by employers is pushing Malaysians to migrate and work abroad.
MEF president Datuk Dr Syed Hussain Syed Husman said the majority of employers in Malaysia have in place proper reviewing systems with transparent and measurable criteria to evaluate employees' performance.
"With due respect, MEF does not agree with the view that Malaysian workers can only climb up the ladder with 'connections' and that advancements are not based on merit.
"The appraisal scores will be used to determine annual increments, bonuses and whether employees should be promoted to higher positions," he told the New Straits Times.
Deputy Human Resources Minister Mustapha Sakmud, in an exclusive interview with the New Straits Times, said social injustice, better career prospects and remuneration had been identified as the three main reasons why Malaysians preferred to work abroad.
Syed Hussain said recent amendments to the Employment Act 1955 also provided employees protection from discrimination at the workplace.
Section 69F of the act allows the Labour Department director-general to inquire and decide on any dispute between an employee and their employer in respect of any matter relating to discrimination in employment. An employer found guilty of such offences is liable to a fine not exceeding RM50,000.
In the case of a continuing offence, the employer is further liable to a daily fine not exceeding RM1,000 for each day the offence continues after conviction.
"With the stringent measures, any employee that faces discrimination at workplaces may lodge a complaint with the Labour Department and an investigation will be carried out," he said.
Syed Hussain believed that there were five reasons why more Malaysians were opting to work abroad — attractive salary, lack of career prospects or opportunities in specific fields, a better quality of life, access to high-quality education and a higher exchange rate.
He said the lack of skilled workers had not only prevented businesses from operating at their maximum capacity, but also deterred them from scaling up employment, thereby dampening productivity.
"Malaysia needs to attract more multinationals and local investors with the capacity to introduce new technology and digitalised processes, which will be able to create better and more value-added jobs that will attract and retain talent.
"Existing employers, especially small- and medium-scale enterprises (SMEs), who wish to introduce new technology and digitalisation need to be better
supported by the unity government.
"Such new technology is expensive and beyond the reach of most SMEs.
"MEF hopes that the 2023 Budget will introduce better incentives to attract more investment in new technology and digitalisation," he added.
Source: https://www.nst.com.my/news/nation/2023/02/881975/mef-refutes-claims-malaysian-workers-not-treated-fairly