Automation is the way to go

Rise of robots: Factories in China are replacing workers with automation, a pivot that’s encouraged by rising wages and the move away from low-cost manufacturing – something that Malaysia should look into. — AP

ACCORDING to the “Key Statistics of Labour Force in Malaysia” report released in October by the Department of Statistics, Malaysia has a total workforce of 15 million, with another 7.1 million non-working people comprising housewives, students, retirees and those who are not interested in working. The remaining 3.3% unemployed working-class Malaysians comprise an estimated 740,000 people.

The Malaysian Employer Federation in 2017 reported that there are around 1.7 million foreign workers (excluding the unregistered ones) in Malaysia.