Racism rife in private sector

Asila Jalil Asila Jalil Updated 5 years ago · Published on 7 Mar 2019 1:35PM · 9 Comments

Candidates from various races sent out hundreds of ‘fake’ resumes as part of an experiment to show how difficult it is for certain races to land an interview. – The Malaysian Insight pic by Nazir Sufari, March 7, 2019.

RACIAL discrimination is rife in the private sector with Indian candidates getting the fewest job opportunities compared with Malays and Chinese, according to a study.

Centre for Governance and Political Studies (Cent-GPS) found that there is a great difference between the races to land a job interview even though they have similar qualification. 

Two individuals, a male and a female, representing each race used make-up to change their skin colour. 

There were four female candidates where two represented a Malay woman with and one without tudung and three male candidates from each race. Each candidate applied to 547 jobs in all sectors. 

The team made up resumes which show the same qualifications, such as graduates with bachelor’s in business, second class upper honours from a local private university and having undertaken a three-month internship at a reputable institution. 

An Indian male candidate only received 20 call-backs out of the total jobs applied while the Malay received 43 and Chinese (179).

Meanwhile, for female candidates the call-back was Indian (49), Malay with tudung (50), Malay without hijab (70) and Chinese (240). 

Cent-GPS director Zaidel Baharuddin says it bodes ill for the nation if racial discrimination continues in the private sector. – The Malaysian Insight pic by Nazir Sufari, March 7, 2019.

“In a different perspective, Nicola (Chinese female) only needs to apply to roughly two jobs for her to get one call-back. Nur Sakinah, Malay candidate with hijab needs to apply to around 13 jobs to get one call-back. 

“Again quite devastatingly, Thivakar, our Indian male candidate, needs to apply to 28 jobs to get just one call-back for interview. If Thivakar applied to 200 jobs in one month, he would only get seven call-backs,” said the Cent-GPS director Zaidel Baharuddin today.

The candidates were also fluent in Mandarin but Zaidel said the language is not a real requirement in most vacancies.

Zaidel said more Malaysians will be marginalised because of their ethnicity if the trend continues. 

“This study is important because it shows us just how discriminatory our private sector really is. 

“Even as candidates with the same qualifications, education and experiences, the ethnicity of a candidate still plays a vital role in the success of a job application.

“Hardworking Indian and Malay students will not get the opportunity they deserve, creating a dangerous future of inequality and social instability,” he added. – March 7, 2019. 

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Comments

  • The answer is simple, dismantle and remove the overwhelming Oriental presence in HR departments in many firms including the MNC's. Time to replace with a neutral presence or one that can be governed by a council of executives. Everyone knows the real truth; the middling executives in HR have been throwing away the resumes of other ethnic groups largely. That's all it is. One surgical strike and the problem will largely be alleviated.

    Posted 5 years ago by K Pop · Reply

  • We kind of allow or encourage it when ICERD (The International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination) was rejected. Everything is viewed through racial lense, even when purchasing personal accident insurance policy, as if life of one race is more valuable.

    The worst is people from the Indian race, it is tough going for them. From seeking accomodation and employment, racial barriers are put high up. We need to seriously seek a better way to minimise such discrimination.

    Posted 5 years ago by Butter Scotch · Reply

  • The private institution learns it from all the Government institution services where racism is at its height.

    Posted 5 years ago by Lee Lee · Reply

  • Candidate is shortlisted due to suitability to a job. We can't use racism sentiments to create havoc for some reasons.

    There're lots of job out there being filled by foreigners due to choosiness n avoided by locals. This was reported by labour department some time ago.

    Some job offers are being turned down by individuals due to self decisions made. What could an employer do when such case happens.

    Some ethnics are imposing too many conditions before taking up a job, causing many employers review their internal recruitment and shortlisting policy.

    Let's put up standard guidelines for a job application considering the environment, qualifications, job titles, salary scale, benefits n welfare, etc. It's not easy to please candidates prior to their personal demands as well.
    Considering religious n race sentiments for job suitability is at the discretion of job seeker which is beyond legalities. Probably job seekers may need to go through througher orientation after studies to enable them be well prepared to face the employment market.

    Posted 5 years ago by Muhammad Rashmir · Reply

  • Candidate is shortlisted due to suitability to a job. We can't use racism sentiments to create havoc for some reasons.

    There're lots of job out there being filled by foreigners due to choosiness n avoided by locals. This was reported by labour department some time ago.

    Some job offers are being turned down by individuals due to self decisions made. What could an employer do when such case happens.

    Some ethnics are imposing too many conditions before taking up a job, causing many employers review their internal recruitment and shortlisting policy.

    Let's put up standard guidelines for a job application considering the environment, qualifications, job titles, salary scale, benefits n welfare, etc. It's not easy to please candidates prior to their personal demands as well.
    Considering religious n race sentiments for job suitability is at the discretion of job seeker which is beyond legalities. Probably job seekers may need to go through througher orientation after studies to enable them be well prepared to face the employment market.

    Posted 5 years ago by Muhammad Rashmir · Reply

  • Candidate is shortlisted due to suitability to a job. We can't use racism sentiments to create havoc for some reasons.

    There're lots of job out there being filled by foreigners due to choosiness n avoided by locals. This was reported by labour department some time ago.

    Some job offers are being turned down by individuals due to self decisions made. What could an employer do when such case happens.

    Some ethnics are imposing too many conditions before taking up a job, causing many employers review their internal recruitment and shortlisting policy.

    Let's put up standard guidelines for a job application considering the environment, qualifications, job titles, salary scale, benefits n welfare, etc. It's not easy to please candidates prior to their personal demands as well.
    Considering religious n race sentiments for job suitability is at the discretion of job seeker which is beyond legalities. Probably job seekers may need to go through througher orientation after studies to enable them be well prepared to face the employment market.

    Posted 5 years ago by Muhammad Rashmir · Reply

  • Wasn't there a UM study similar to this a few years back, where even bumi firms discriminated against bumis? Since we are not a signatory to ICERD, it is open season on racial discrimination? What is good for the goose is good for the gander?

    Posted 5 years ago by Yoon Kok · Reply

  • Perhaps a more apt headline is "Racism is rife in Malaysia" :-(

    Posted 5 years ago by Yoon Kok · Reply

  • Why were Orang Asal not included in the survey? They are more numerous than Malaysians of Indian descent.

    Posted 5 years ago by Anak Kampung · Reply