Find creative ways to get the work done

HAVE you noticed that service is irritatingly slow at your favourite mamak restaurant? Don’t complain, just be glad that it’s still open.

Malaysia’s labour shortage is the worst it’s ever been and is past critical now. The numbers are staggering.

For example, according to the Malaysian Muslim Restaurant Owners Association, its members need 30,000 workers to fill vacancies nationwide.

The association said the lack of staff during the Covid-19 pandemic has forced more than 2,000 mamak restaurants to close.

In May, the Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister stated that the country’s tourism sector is facing a shortage of about 15,000 to 20,000 workers, estimated from data from national tourism associations.

Malaysia also lacks at least 1.2 million workers in the manufacturing, construction, and plantation sectors – and these sectors are among the major contributors to the nation’s coffers.

The palm oil industry, in particular, is losing out on capitalising on high prices with fruits left to rot unharvested due to a lack of workers.

While the government struggles to sort out issues with getting workers into the country, employers are having to think outside the box to find creative solutions to keep businesses going.

While some previously full-service eateries have gone in the opposite direction and now offer only self-service, others are turning to technology for support.

Robots are now serving customers while some eateries are displaying a QR code on each table so customers can scan the menu and order online without needing a waiter; some take it a step further and offer online payment, so the only staff required are kitchen staff and those who bring you your food.

Technology is also a possible solution for the palm oil sector: the Plantation Industries and Commodities Ministry has urged plantation owners to increase the use of automation to reduce dependency on foreign workers – using drones for surveillance and pest control, for instance.

In Penang, Hameediyah Restaurant, one of the oldest nasi kandar restaurants in the country, has hired 50 paroled prisoners to help out. It struck a deal with the Penang Prisons Department last year to tap this unused labour source.

Another untapped source suggested by NGOs – and our readers – is the refugee community. Refugees in Malaysia are not allowed to work, not even those who carry the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees card verifying their status. But if arrangements can be made to allow businesses to employ them, they could certainly fill the gaps.

There have also been calls for employers to offer higher wages to attract local staff.

While that might be difficult to do right now as most businesses are still recovering from the effects of the pandemic, this is what we need to do in the long run so that we are self-sufficient and never again held hostage by disruptions to the supply of foreign workers.