LIM Guan Eng has accepted the challenge by Human Resources Minister M. Saravanan to scrutinise and find flaws in the ministry’s effort in addressing labour shortage in the country.

In a statement, the DAP national chairman said if he is able to find flaws, then Saravanan should quit and vice versa.

“Saravanan should not try to distract attention by making baseless personal attacks but address with facts and figures the concerns raised by employers relating to the severe migrant labour shortage,” Lim said.

“So far, Saravanan has neither answered nor justified his pathetic 12% success rate in getting foreign workers to enter Malaysia.

“I will await Saravanan to fix a date to address his challenge as well as other critical issues and weaknesses that have delayed the speedy recruitment of foreign workers.”

Various sectors in Malaysia are suffering from acute labour shortage, leading to billions in losses.

The plantation, glove and automotive parts sectors alone have suffered losses of RM33.5 billion. 

Reuters reported last week that Malaysian oil palm growers are letting thousands of tonnes of fruits rot as the third year of a worker shortage has left companies unable to increase their harvest during the peak production season.

Travel restrictions enacted in 2020 to fight the Covid-19 pandemic left the Malaysian palm oil industry short of 120,000 foreign workers needed to maintain trees and harvest fruit bunches.

Last month, Malaysia received the first batch of Bangladeshi workers following a deal signed with the country last December. – September 15, 2022.