KATHMANDU: Malaysia is facing shortage of half a million labourers in manufacturing, service and agriculture sectors. Around 3,00,000 foreign workers, including 31,392 Nepali had left Malaysia after the government adopted a ‘not to hire foreign workers’ policy. “We are facing shortage of labour in manufacturing, service and agriculture sectors,” said Shamsuddin Bardan, executive director of the Malaysian Federation of Employers (MFE). According to Bardan, around 1.9 million migrant workers — mostly from Indonesia, Bangladesh, Nepal, India, Myanmar and Vietnam — are working in Malaysia. The number was 2.2 million in 2008. According to the Straits Times, fall in foreign labourers’ number has increased salary in those sectors. The monthly salary for unskilled workers has climbed up from $183 to $197 (650 to 700 ringgit) in the last three months. In August 2008, the minimum salary for unskilled workers was $127 (450 ringgit). Malaysia does not have a government approved minimum wage. It depends on contract between employers and outsourcing agencies. Though Malaysia has adopted a ‘not to hire foreign workers’ policy, it is planning to accept foreign workers in those sectors where local people are not interested in working . “There is no valid reason to bring in foreign workers at this time,” said home minister Syed Hamid Albar. “But we can hire foreign workers in locally neglected sectors.” Nepali outsourcing agencies are watching the development and hoping that Malaysia becomes a major destination for Nepali blue-collar jobseekers once again. “We are closely looking at the Malaysian labour market and it is indicating good signs for us,” said Madan Mahat, an outsourcing agency owner. If the government accelerates labour diplomacy, Nepali workers can benefit from the manpower crunch in malaysia, he added. Nepalis working in Malaysia are unskilled workers and the destination is facing shortage of such sort of labourers. Nepal can benefit from the situation, said Mahat. “We should build labour oriented strong diplomatic relationships to get the benefit,” he said. It is hard to get special consideration for Nepali workers but not impossible, he added.

Nepali stranded in Qatar

PANITANKI: A Nepali — who went abroad taking loans — is stranded in Qatar after a visa problem. Ashol Khawas of Haraicha-7, Morang has been stranded in Qatar for the last two months. He was sent to Qatar by Ramdev Jhangar of Indrapur-1 charged him Rs 150,000 promising multiple visa. It turned out it was a tourist visa. Khawas’ wife Kusum said he has been stranded after the promised company refused to provide work for him. She said that Jhangar has also gone out of contact. — RSS