Jobs, wages and reliance on Singapore key concerns in Skudai

 Pakatan Harapan Skudai candidate Kartiyaini Jeyapalan says young voters prefer to work in Johor, but low salaries have forced them to seek jobs across the causeway.

Kartiyaini Jeyapalan seeking support from a Skudai voter. Helping her on the campaign trail is Sabah DAP deputy chairman Chan Foong Hin (standing, right). (Facebook pic)

ISKANDAR PUTERI:

Young Johoreans prefer to work in their own state but the wage disparity with Singapore is driving them to the republic, according to Pakatan Harapan candidate Kartiyaini Jeyapalan.

The deputy chairman II of Johor Wanita DAP fears it will be difficult to retain talent in the state if the young people’s concerns are not addressed.

Kartiyaini, who is in a four-way contest for the Skudai seat, said jobs, wages and Johor’s dependence on Singapore’s economy have emerged as key issues among voters, especially those in the younger generation.

She said that on her campaign trail, youths had opened up to her on their concerns for the rise in the cost of living, and lack of employment opportunities.

“These young voters also said they preferred to seek employment in the state, and not in Singapore,” she told FMT.

It was reported last month that more than 1.18 million Malaysians are employed in Singapore, and about 400,000 of them cross the Johor Causeway daily for work.

Many of them come from Skudai, which is only about 20km from the causeway.

Kartiyaini said many who have spoken with her expressed their unhappiness with having to commute to Singapore to work daily. “They actually want to work in Johor, if a better job is available,” she said.

“(But) for most of them, the salary package (in Singapore) is (more) attractive. So, if we can create something similar here, more investors will come to Johor, and we can retain our talent,” she said.

Kartiyaini, who is a lawyer by profession, said even young professionals such as lawyers and doctors, have raised the same concerns.

On her own campaign, which entered its seventh day today, she said it has been “encouraging”.

“It is quite positive. Skudai voters are familiar with DAP’s track record (in the constituency),” she said, referring to the fact that the party has held on to the state seat since 2008.

Voters, she added, understood that DAP selected candidates based on merit and what it believes is best for constituents.

“So far, when we meet constituents, they tell us, ‘make sure Pakatan Harapan wins’. So I am positive that this campaign is (moving) in the right direction.”

She said Skudai voters still trusted Pakatan Harapan (PH) leaders to continue the work they had started.

“They (the PH leaders) will continue fighting (for the people) as they want to see a brighter future for Malaysia and Johor as well,” she added.

Kartiyaini will face Barisan Nasional’s Tan Hiang Kee, PSM’s Amir Syafiq Ameer Soekre and Bersama’s Eugene Chua for the seat. - FMT