Hire foreigners if that’s the only option left

THE Immigration Department’s ruling that “Foreigners can only be hired as cooks” ( The Star, March 13) and not as front liners such as waiters and cashiers need to be addressed urgently by the Government. This is especially in view of the fact that some 2,000 Chinese coffee shops and 400 IndianMuslim and banana leaf restaurants ceased operation last year, “Eateries seek urgent govt help with labour problems” ( The Star, March 12).

Eating out is a great Malaysian tradition which also provides a relative- ly affordable outing for time-restricted working families. These budget food outlets are good, too, for our tourism business.

It is common knowledge that frontline jobs in these food outlets are not popular with local workers. Thus, it is rather fortunate that we have a willing and ready foreign workforce who are happy to do these jobs that take up many hours of the day.

Local workers demand much higher pay and better working conditions than can be afforded by the budget of Chinese and Indian coffeeshop-style outlets. It is only a practical and common sense option to allow these food outlets to employ foreign workers for any role they are deemed suitable, be it waiters, cashiers, cleaners or cooks.

The Government has always prided itself on looking after the interests of the ordinary rakyat. Therefore, please review and change the Immigration Department’s ruling to make life easier for these food outlet operators and, by extension, for the rakyat.