Special work permit will ease shortage of workers — KKCCCI

KOTA KINABALU: Kota Kinabalu Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KKCCCI) hailed the Chief Minister’s announcement that the state government will look into revamping the process of issuing special work permits for illegal foreign workers engaged in the plantation sector to address the serious shortage of labour force.

Its president, Datuk Michael Lui Yen Sang, said that it was commendable that Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal had taken an enlightened approach to solve our local problems with appropriate solutions.

He said KKCCCI agreed and supported Shafie that the plan would not allow the foreign workers to obtain the permanent resident status in Sabah, as this is an important basic principle in defending the basic rights of the Sabah people.

“The industrial players are relieved that the act of legalizing the illegal workers into possession of ‘special work permit’ to legally work in the plantation,” he said in a statement yesterday.

He added that this would not only solve the problem of the shortage of legal workers, but more importantly makes a positive contribution to our economic development and global competitiveness.

KKCCCI believes that the state government will be working with the Immigration Department to formulate specific conditions to expedite the implementation of issuing the special documents in the near future.