The report quoted former Small and Medium Enterprises Association Malaysia president Teh Kee Sin as saying professionals, semi-skilled and skilled workers are heading to these countries as they are paid higher salaries there.
“The view that Malaysians are not willing to do work deemed difficult and dirty is not right as many of them are taking up such jobs in these countries.
“Many commute to do such jobs in Singapore. There must be something wrong if a Malaysian is willing to work as a cleaner in Singapore, but not in Johor Bahru,” Teh was quoted.
The report also spoke to a human resource manager, who declined to be named, who said that highly skilled workers in the oil and gas industry are much sought after by companies in Singapore and the Middle East – where they can earn up to RM15,000 a month (in Singapore) and RM40,000 in oil-producing Arab countries, as opposed to a mere RM5,000 they can draw, locally.
“There is nothing much that we (Malaysia) can do to stop highly skilled locals in the oil and gas sector from working in other countries,” the manager was quoted saying, adding the only way to stop the exodus was to pay a good monthly salary, plus other perks.