Reasons why outstanding Indians opt for private sector

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 21 — A complicated application process and a long waiting period for job offers in the public sector are among reasons why outstanding Indian students opt for the private sector.  

The co-ordinator of the Special Implementation Taskforce (SITF) of the Cabinet Committee on the Indian Community in the Prime Minister’s Department, Datuk N. Siva Subramaniam (picture), said the issue was also the reason for the lack of participation by the Indian community in the professional group of the public sector.

“A lot of Indians who joined the public sector hold positions at the lower level, such as technicians and administrative assistants.

“The outstanding students will not wait long for a job, with the private sector racing at the same time to get them,” he told Bernama and Bernama TV in an exclusive interview today. 

A former Cuepacs president, he said when these students began work in the private sector with high salaries, it was difficult for them to switch to the public sector upon receiving job offers, due to the lower pay.

Siva Subramaniam said on average only 2.5 per cent of public sector employees in every ministry comprised Indians, but this would change with the various measures being and to be implemented by the government.

“The government under the leadership of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak has been concerned of late over this matter and will offer 1,000 public sector jobs to Indians.

“We have a lot of candidates from among the Indian community, but there are also problems such as the poor command of Bahasa Melayu and English, which is an impediment to entering the civil service,” he added.

Siva Subramaniam said job offers to Indians in the public sector also depended on factors such as academic qualifications, passing interviews, to ensure they serve the government with distinction, and not just to fill quotas.

The SITF, he said, was also studying the issue of promotions in the public sector for Indians, particularly in the teaching service.

“We have received a memorandum from Indian teachers who said their opportunities for promotion to principals as well as senior assistants were very slim, and we are looking into how to overcome this,” he added. — Bernama