Will Zahid accept drain cleaner Azrol’s challenge?

YOURSAY | ‘Why is Azrol getting RM800 when the minimum wage is RM1,000?’

Youth becomes drain cleaner, challenges Zahid to raise 3D wages

Abasir: Good going, diploma holder Azrolnizam Sidek. Now that you have led by example, will Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi’s daughter Nurul Hidayah step into the ditch with you?

And will that minister who proposed leading thousands of Mat Rempit in late night racing get them to follow your lead?

Mamadias: Azrol, I am proud of you for three reasons. One, as a Malaysian, you have proven to some of the ministers that you are not lazy.

Two, as a Malay, you have proven to them that Malays can do hard work. They have forgotten what hard work means.

Three, you have proven to the minister’s daughter that you are prepared to sacrifice your comfort to do dirty work.

Now back to you, Zahid, prove that you care about Malaysians and implement policies that can bring benefits to real Malaysians.

To the employers, it’s also your turn to prove that as a caring corporate citizen your motto should be ‘We only hire locals with above minimum wage’, rather than harping on issues that are only going to benefit you.

ACR: Two points to note on our reliance on foreign workers to do 3D (dirty, difficult and dangerous) work:

1) We do not have the human resources to excel in high-income industries/services, yet the government cuts our education budget (while talking about becoming high-income which calls into question what they understand by being high-income).

2) On the flip side, some of our citizens who should be in 3D jobs have been artificially excluded from it as they evidently have 'high qualifications', thanks to 45 years of social engineering.

This may seem a paradox, not having high quality human resources yet having many university graduates. That has to do with the schooling and higher education system and the state they are in.

Franco: Why is Azrol getting RM800 per month when the minimum wage is RM1,000 in the peninsula?

Kudos to Azrol for taking up the challenge by the DPM. Now can the DPM accept the challenge from Azrol?

It is no secret that anyone earning the stipulated minimum wage can survive in the country. RM1,000 is the base wage and statutory deductions are yet to be imposed.

What I cannot comprehend is why there has been no programme to control price hikes by unscrupulous business people.

Anakraja: Look, Zahid, Malaysian youths are willing to do the 3D jobs. Now raise the ‘gaji’ to a minimum to RM1,500.

In Kuala Lumpur, the current minimum wage is not enough. The rental of a room alone is around RM500, and the balance of RM1,000 is to cover travelling costs and food.

Meanwhile, food prices are going up and up.

Roguekiller: Zahid, there is no need for another 1.5 million Bangladeshis as the Human Resources Ministry has rebutted your claim of shortage with figures - 1.7 million was the requirement and the number has been overshot to 3.1 million presently; we have an excess of labourers.

There are countless foreign workers unemployed, for they can be seen outnumbering Malaysians everywhere, whether on workdays and holidays.

Apa Fasal?: Indeed, syabas to great people like Azrol. Now over to Zahid to raise the wages for people like Azrol who are willing to do the 3D jobs.

Share good deeds of foreign workers to change misconception

Roguekiller: Doesn't manpower, local or foreign, come under the purview of the Human Resources Ministry? If so, why is the home minister/DPM so keen to look into this requirement of manufacturing, construction, agricultural, etc, sectors?

The human resources minister stressed that Malaysia only requires 1.7 million of foreign workers, and as per his statistics, 3.1 million of them are in Malaysia. Why the need for 1.5 million more when our present holding exceeds the quota?

NGO North South Initiative (NSI), have you actually dealt with foreign workers, especially those of Bangladeshi origin?

I managed a manufacturing company. I did have Bangladeshi workers and I did provide welfare to the best any boss would do - renting rooms for their accommodation and providing kitchen facilities to settle them in.

They were unskilled workers, I took pains to train them, but when they picked up the trade, they hopped to another company for maybe RM1 higher pay. When they left, they took away everything I bought for them.

Hopeful123: Can you please explain why there must be an influx of 1.5 million Bangladeshi workers? Can't these be equally divided to include Nepalese, Myanmar, Thai and Indian workers. Why particularly Bangladeshis?

We already have more than enough foreign workers. Please fight for the rights of Malaysian youths who are unemployed because of low wages and the lack of job security.

Leave the plight of the foreign workers to be dealt with by their respective governments. If their governments cannot do anything, then there is nothing that you can do except crowing.

The Analyser: Insecure Malaysians need someone to denigrate to boost their weak little egos. Therefore, you could have prophets amongst the immigrant workers and they would still be looked down upon.

The problem is not with the workers, it’s with the Malaysians. Now, where have I heard that before? -Mkini