FT minister won't entertain requests to let migrants work at KL wholesale market

 

Federal Territories Minister Annuar Musa is adamant that starting next year, only locals can be hired to work at the Kuala Lumpur wholesale market.

He said he will not entertain any appeals from wholesalers who want to hire migrants.

"My answer is final. I will not allow migrants to work there. Hire only locals. Stop trying to make any more appeals. This is policy," he said in a tweet last night.

On Oct 23, Kuala Lumpur City Hall issued a notice to wholesalers that starting Jan 1, they will only be allowed to hire local workers.

Those who do not comply can lose their license.

Wholesalers, however, are protesting the move as unreasonable as their workers have proper permits.

“They are not allowed to work even if they have permits and they can't go back right now. How are they supposed to earn a living?” Kuala Lumpur Vegetable Wholesalers’ Association president Wong Keng Fatt had told Malaysiakini.

He also said the permits of many of their migrant workers are far from expiration and forcing them to quit now will increase the cost for wholesalers.

Others said locals could not keep up with the working conditions and workload, causing a high turnover of workers. - Mkini