Becoming the big boss

PETALING JAYA: While employers in Malaysia struggle to source for workers, there are foreign workers breaking out on their own to become “bosses” in order to supply labour and also vie for jobs.

Officials say these foreigners, mainly undocumented ones, in turn offer cheaper rates to local companies and customers that have made them very much in demand.

They speak of instances when these foreigners would “hire” licences or rent land here to offer alternatives to local firms hard-pressed for labour.

The officials cite examples of when these foreigners would also offer their services directly to customers looking to renovate their homes, providing much lower quotations than that given by local contractors.

Currently, Malaysia allows foreigners to work in eight sectors: plantation, agriculture, manufacturing, services, mining and quarrying, construction and domestic services. All must be employed by companies, or households in the case of maids.

The irony is that even with almost 700,000 locals unemployed, many companies in the various sectors are struggling to cope with the lack of workers.

The Star spoke to officials in charge of various businesses which were clinging on to foreigners.

Agriculture

This is one of the hardest hit. For example, about half of the workers in Cameron Highlands are Bangladeshi, Nepalese and Indonesian. Their numbers are said to be growing fast.

Cameron Highlands Agriculture Association chairman Ng Tien Khuan attributed this to several reasons, one being the government’s inability to woo locals into the farming sector.

“The main problem that we are faced with now is the lack of hands. Some of our farmers are aged but the new generation refuses to take over the business, so they rent out their land to foreigners,” he said.

He said the local farmers were able to earn more as the foreigners were willing to pay “just about anything”.

“The foreigners are more hardworking and their expenses are not as much, so they can afford to pay higher rent. They even go on to expand their farm areas just by using their hands and nobody notices!” he said.

Petty traders

Malaysian Federation of Hawkers and Petty Traders Association president Datuk Seri Rosli Sulaiman said he had been observing the way that Bangladeshis, Pakistanis and Myanmars had been “dominating” areas around the Klang Valley.

The “hotspots” include Masjid India, the Selayang wholesale market and Nilai. Rosli said other states such as Perlis, Johor and Kedah were not spared as well.

“The authorities only take action when we complain; this should not be the case. It is their responsibility to address the issue once and for all. Now, it seems like there is no deep resolve on the part of the authorities,” he added.

He said some of the foreigners asked for his help to set up their own businesses, adding that he refused to get involved.

“Many of them run their own mini-markets or set up their own roadside stalls,” he added.

Rosli urged the authorities to keep watch on those with expired working permits.

Fisheries

Malaysian Coastal Fishermen’s Education and Welfare Association (Jaring) secretary Azrilnizam Omar said local fishermen would rather “rent” their boats or licences to Indonesians, Thais or Vietnamese for a monthly fee.

Foreigners are only allowed to work under local fishermen who own class C and C2 fishing licences.

Azrilnizam said since the foreigners had been here for quite a while and had some savings, they would attempt to buy their own boats, failing which, they would rent boat licences from local fishermen.

“They become their own bosses and earn a living as fishermen despite not having any licence. Years ago, this was only common in Langkawi but this culture has spread to other areas in Kedah, Penang, Melaka and Selangor,” he said.

Azrilnizam said foreigners fishing in our waters did not benefit the local marketplace.

“Vietnamese who rent boat licences will only land low-value fish in Malaysia to meet quota requirements and also to obtain diesel subsidy, while higher-value fish will be sent to Vietnam,” he said, explaining that local licence holders enjoy monthly diesel subsidies.

He said foreigners were also hired by local fishermen because of their lower wages.

“Our local fishermen pay foreigners to work on their boats so they can get income without having to work hard. So they buy new boats, hire foreign workers and sell their haul, pay them low wages and pocket the rest of the money,” he added.

Construction

Malaysian Bumiputera Contractors Association secretary-general Ahmed Zaharani Yusof Omar said with the skills learnt from past projects, foreign workers would then part ways “to look for their own projects”.

“And even if they do work with locals contractors, they demand a higher salary. Some refuse to work with local contractors, so when they work on their own, we have a manpower issue,” he said, appealing to the Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB) and other agencies to put a stop to such practices.

“The public should know who they hire. Sometimes they lodge complaints due to poor quality of work. Upon investigation, we find that they hired unregistered contractors,” said Ahmed Zaharani who is also the Construction Labour Exchange Centre Bhd (CLAB) director.

Cleaning services

Malaysian Maid Employers Association (Mama) president Engku Ahmad Fauzi Engku Muhsein said due to the high demand for stay-out maids, foreign domestic helpers were opting to become “their own bosses”.

“A lot aim for that. Not everyone wants stay-in maids. I hope the authorities will consider introducing a new category or permit that allows foreign maids to work on a part-time basis.

“These workers can be attached to agencies and we can set the rules,” he said, adding that part-time maids now charge between RM20 and RM40 per hour.

Agencies allowed to handle part-time maids should act as a check to prevent those with ill intentions from entering our country.

“The issue is nationwide. Sometimes these foreigners come here for fun or to venture into other businesses, such as boutiques or salons, or even to find life partners.”

Mama’s views were backed by the Association of Employment Agencies Malaysia vice-president Suresh Tan who said that if a part-time maid was involved in theft, there would be nothing that the employer could do.

“If they steal, there is no way employers can go after them,” he said.