Worker Shortage In Cameron Highlands

Seems like worker shortages might spell the end of Cameron Highlands. I hope the government will lift the ban coz this is not good for the Cameron Highlands tourism industry, the tea industry, the nurseries, vegetable farms, and all round causes a bad name for Malaysia. If government is sincere about their efforts to promote tourism Malaysia, they need to look into the manpower problem.

Sure there may be unemployed locals, but are they willing to take up the vacancy? Agriculture is not for everyone, you got a green thumb? But that is not the same. Doing gardening work and actually keep an acre of vegetable growing well without weeds and insects wrecking havoc is not everyone's cup of tea.

There may be vacancies available in Malaysia, but those types of job aren't just suitable for locals. It could be because of social status, like, "die from hunger also don't want to do because how will I face my family/relatives/neighbour/blah blah blah" you know that kind of thing. If you ask me, yep there are certain kind of jobs I wouldn't want to do either. And so it is that we will have labour shortage in certain job sectors, and over supply of employees in other industry because it looks great, hip even and glamorous, because everybody wants to do it. IT seems to be one of them. And when you have oversupply, the pay gets depressed. Grads pay are still the same since the last ten years, but inflation has eroded the disposable income.

Let's hope the government will come to its senses unless they need a stand off just like the sugar, flour licensing issue just so to wake them up to do something positive about it!

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