Prioritise local grads to overcome talent deficit, says ex-Umno man

 

Isham Jalil said hiring foreign graduates may lead to lower wages being offered to local graduates.

PETALING JAYA: A former Umno leader has called on the government to prioritise locals instead of considering foreign graduates for jobs to overcome the talent deficit in certain sectors.

In a Facebook post, Isham Jalil said allowing these sectors to hire foreign graduates was unfair and would lead to lower wages being offered to local graduates.

It could also lead to a rise in unemployment, the former Umno information chief said.

Isham said it would be better for the government to encourage students to take up disciplines in critical sectors, adding that the country needed only three to four years to churn out highly skilled workers.

“We shouldn’t be opening the floodgates for foreign graduates and other foreign workers in high-value sectors.

“Who are you looking out for? The local grads or foreign ones? If this is how one draws up policies, the country will be in ruins.”

On Monday, The Edge quoted investment, trade and industry minister Tengku Zafrul Aziz as saying that Putrajaya was mulling allowing foreign graduates of local higher education institutions to work in Malaysia.

Tengku Zafrul cited the electrical and electronics sector as an example, stating it required some 50,000 engineers. The country produces 5,000 engineers, which excludes foreign graduates and Malaysians studying abroad, he added. - FMT