Ministers given a month to resolve foreign worker shortage in restaurants

 Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said the government could not 'open the door wide open' to foreign workers, but there was an urgent need to fill vacancies.

Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim at the launch of a roadmap of initiatives to empower the Indian Muslim community. (Bernama pic)

BUTTERWORTH:

Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has given his Cabinet one month from Monday to resolve requests from restaurant industry players to recruit foreign workers.

Anwar said he took note of the industry’s concerns over labour shortages, which were brought to his attention by a Cabinet minister.

The prime minister said the government could not “open the door wide open” for foreign worker recruitment. “However, I agree that there is an urgent need to fill vacancies in certain sectors, including the restaurant industry.

“I will give the relevant ministries a maximum of one month from Monday to resolve this issue,” he said.

Last October, the Malaysian Muslim Restaurant Owners Association renewed its appeal to the government to allow the recruitment of 15,000 foreign workers to address the persistent labour shortage.

Anwar was speaking at the launch of a roadmap for the Indian Muslim community comprising initiatives in education, entrepreneurship, leadership, social wellbeing and institutional capacity.

Anwar also announced RM2 million in annual educational grants for underprivileged Indian Muslim students, including school pupils, university undergraduates and those who have secured university placements. - FMT