PUTRAJAYA needs to find ways to ease the severe labour shortage across multiple sectors in the country to get a grip on the ever increasing prices of goods, business owners said.

Locals, they said, are unwilling to take up many of these jobs as they are deemed to be dangerous, dirty and difficult (3D).

The constant handouts by the government by way of subsidies and food aid are also making locals complacent instead of going out to look for work.

Ameer Ali Mydin, founder of retail giant Mydin, said the surge in vegetable prices is a two-pronged issue.

It is due to heavy rain and flooding in Cameron Highlands, as well as the severe labour shortage at farms.

“Cameron Highlands was flooded for two weeks, so obviously we couldn’t get vegetables there. Camerons is also experiencing massive labour shortage in foreign workers,” he told The Malaysian Insight.

“The government wants us to hire locals, but because the salary is around RM1,400 to RM2,000, we are not getting any locals.

“Malaysian don’t want to do hard labour, the 3D jobs. Only foreigners are willing to fill in the gap. As long as we don’t solve this, prices will keep increasing.”

Over the past few weeks, prices of vegetables have gone up, some as much as 200%.

Farmers have blamed a combination of issues such as the weather, labour shortage and the increasing price of fertilisers for the hike.

Vegetables imported from China, such as broccoli and cauliflower, which used to cost around RM6-RM7 a kg, are now being sold from between RM16 and RM17.

Others such as kailan were being sold for RM13 per kg, French beans have gone up from RM6 to RM12-14 per kg and long beans now cost RM9 per kg from RM6.

Locals staying away from 3D work

Ameer, who is also president of the Bumiputera Retailers Organisation, said one of the reasons locals are staying away from 3D jobs is because of the various subsidies and cash handouts provided by the government.

“The government has been giving a lot of subsidies. If people are not hungry, they won’t go out to work. People would rather clean tables and toilets when they are hungry.

“The government is always giving out food packages. If those receiving them are satisfied, they won’t go out to work,” he said.

Ameer said Putrajaya should also look into opening more farmland and parcelling it out to those who are capable of growing vegetables rather than their cronies.

“We should not restrict farmers from applying for farm land and we should also encourage them to grow vegetables competitively.”

Since prices of vegetables coming from China are going up, Malaysia should also look for other suppliers, he added.

Commenting on the Home Ministry’s recalibration programme, which allows for illegal foreign workers to be documented, Ameer said this is a risk for employers as there are no guarantees that after receiving their documents, these workers won’t run away.

Based on the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organisation Food Price Index released on December 2, food commodities averaged 134.4 points in November, up 1.6 points (1.2%) from October and 28.8 points (27.3%) from November last year.

The latest increase marked the fourth consecutive monthly rise in the value of the FFPI, putting the index at its highest level since June 2011.

While prices look like they are at an all-time high, it is still lower compared with 2011, he said.

“Because of Covid-19 all prices went up, so you feel it is expensive but historically prices are still lower than 2011. It feels expensive because our salary is too low.”

Labour shortage in restaurants

Malaysian Muslim Restaurant Association chairman Jawahar Ali Taib Khan said the organisation held two recruitment drives with the Social Security Organisation but failed to hire any locals.

Given that the food and beverage sector is not a 3D job, Jawahar is also puzzled why no one came to the recruitment programme.

“There are around 100,000 vacancies in the sector and yet it is struggling to fill the posts.

“The government doesn’t allow us to hire foreign workers but it has also not given any alternative solutions.

“What is it that they want the industry to do?” Jawahar asked.

In restaurants, a worker’s salary is based on the experience, ability and the post he or she holds, he said.

It has also been a long time since locals applied to work in the sector, he added.

“Our members are lacking at least 60% in employees. They may have cooks, but there is not enough cleaning staff.”

In June last year, the government announced a freeze on hiring foreign workers in all sectors, with locals given priority to fill such vacancies. – December 8, 2021.