Image credit: CNA
PETALING JAYA: Businesses in Johor are losing employees to Singapore, lured by the republic’s high exchange rate, The Malaysian Insight reports.
According to the report, Chinese restaurants are struggling to hire cooks and waiters, while in manufacturing, there is a shortage of workers at the supervisory level.
Pan Malaysia Koo Soo Restaurants and Chefs Association president, Wong Teu Boon reportedly said restaurants in Johor are offering RM3,000 to hire workers but cannot compete with the S$3,000 (RM9,448) offered by Singaporean employers.
“This shortage of staff has become serious after borders reopened,” Wong told The Malaysian Insight.
Wong said earning the same figure in Singapore dollars, which converts to more than RM9,000, made it an obvious choice for many workers. The ringgit has not been lower than RM3.15 to the Singapore dollar since mid-April, and is currently at RM3.16.
Besides restaurants, small and medium-sized enterprises are also facing a severe manpower shortage.
South Johor SME Association president James Tan Tien Chong said the ringgit’s depreciation and Singapore’s continued recruitment drive has had a great impact on Johor’s services and manufacturing industry.
The manufacturing industry is facing a severe shortage of supervisory-level employees, he said.
Source: https://www.thesundaily.my/local/report-johor-losing-employees-to-singapore-dollar-KM9439729