More than 3,000 Kedahans migrate to Penang every year, says Ramasamy

 

The number of those who migrate does not include those who travel daily from Kedah to Penang for work, says P Ramasamy. (Bernama pic)

GEORGE TOWN: About 3,500 Kedahans migrate to Penang on an annual basis, between 2014 and 2020, with three-quarters of them doing so for employment opportunities.

Penang deputy chief minister P Ramasamy.

Deputy chief minister P Ramasamy said the number of Kedahans in Penang at any one time was much higher as many travelled interstate daily to work in Penang.

He said Kedahans accounted for 10% of the total migration of people from other states to Penang.

Overall, Ramasamy said at least 7,550 people on average migrated yearly from the northern states of Perlis, Kedah and Perak to Penang from 2014 to 2018.

He said the number dropped to about 4,200 last year due to the pandemic.

Ramasamy, who is the state human capital committee chairman, was responding to an oral question by Satees Muniandy (PH-Bagan Dalam), who had asked about the number of Kedahans working in Penang.

Bagan Dalam assemblyman Satees Muniandy.

Satees also asked about the number of investments going to Kedah of late, especially in Kulim, and what was Penang doing to compete on this front.

Ramasamy thanked Kedahans for their service to Penang, claiming the only issue he had was with their menteri besar (Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor), whom he said was “jealous, racist and extremist”.

Given the well-oiled ecosystem here, he said Penang remained a great place to work and do business.

Ramasamy added that Penang’s land constraints had forced companies to open shop in Kedah. He said over the years, companies were relocating to Penang to capitalise on the mature, established ecosystem in place.

“We don’t mind investments going to Kedah, but we have a problem with the PAS government there which is threatening the union of the Malaysian Federation and the unity of her people.” - FMT