11MP to focus on human resources development, says PM

Joyous occasion: Najib waving while walking through the crowd with Riot flanking him. Also present at the National Labour Day celebrations was Sarawak Chief Minister Tan Sri Adenan Satem at the Borneo Convention Centre Kuching. — ZULAZHAR SHBELEE / THE STAR

KUCHING: The 11th Malaysia Plan to be tabled in Parliament next month will focus on human resources development, said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak

“We will emphasise on productivity-led growth.

“The future of this country, its rate of growth, must be based on improvements in productivity,” he said.

Presently, only about a quarter of the country’s workforce are considered skilled workers, he said, adding that the percentage was at least 40% in developed countries.

Addressing about 10,000 people at the Labour Day celebrations at the Borneo Convention Centre Kuching yesterday, Najib spoke about salary differences between underwater welders and welders (welding being one of the most sought after programmes in GiatMara).

“Undersea welders earn from RM8,000 a month. When a person acquires skills, their productivity and output increases.”

For new skills, Najib emphasised, employers should not just depend on new graduates.

Existing staff could be provided with learning opportunities.

Najib also announced the expansion of civil servants’ unrecorded three-day compassionate leave to include parents-in-law, adopted children and adoptive parents effective July 1.

Najib also said that Socso coverage would be expanded to all Malaysian employees regardless of maximum salary, and the ceiling for workers’ insurance coverage would increase from RM3,000 to RM4,000.

The popular Socso Health Screening Programme would be going mobile, he added.

“I will also ask employers to rethink their reliance on cheap labour, especially foreign.

“This dependence on cheap sources of labour will not guarantee competitiveness anymore.”

The celebrations turned a little sour when Najib said there would be no increase to the minimum wage just yet.

He also said minimum wage could not be increased now.

“There are calls to increase the minimum wage. But we cannot increase it every year. Which country increases minimum wage every year? It needs to be increased periodically. Today is not the time for me to announce a new minimum wage.”

His announcement drew groans from the crowd. And they turned to boos when he talked about the Goods and Services Tax (GST).

Najib said GST was not meant to add burden to the rakyat but an opportunity to add to the government revenue.

“What is difficult is people who try to take advantage of the situation,” he said.

“We have to look at the country’s production, the price of oil has reduced, fallen, the country’s revenue is affected. ‘Nasib baik’ we introduced GST.”

Asked to comment on the crowd reaction, Human Resources Minister Datuk Seri Richard Riot Jaem said: “I cannot be speaking on behalf of those who jeered. I do not know what was in their minds, so ... I prefer not to comment further.”

He, too, said the challenges in implementing GST were making it unpopular.

The national level Labour Day event was being held for the first time in Kuching.