Youth Roundtable Conference resolution on employment to be presented at Cabinet meeting

PUTRAJAYA: The Youth Roundtable Conference resolution on employment in 3D (dirty, dangerous and difficult) jobs will be presented to the Cabinet soon.

Youth and Sports Ministry deputy secretary-general (Management) Datuk Lokman Hakim Ali said the 12-item resolution touches on job opportunities, reasonable wages and a conducive work environment for youths.

“The government must conduct a study on the ratio between local and foreign workers in 3D jobs. Then we can plan the sectors for youths,” he told reporters after the roundtable conference attended by 80 participants, here yesterday.

Organised by the Institute for Research in Youth Development (IYRES), the conference is among efforts to expose youths to 3D jobs to reduce the dependence on foreign workers.

“The discussions are important to get feedback from youths on 3D jobs in the agriculture, construction and manufacturing sectors,” said Lokman Hakim.

The government was urged to review the mismatch between the study courses and job opportunities so that the skills can meet the needs of the job market.

Meanwhile, principal assistant director of Labour Market Research and Management Branch of Labour Market Information and Analysis Institute (ILMIA), Ahmad Badri Jaafar said 1.5 million jobs will be created in the country by 2020.

“Foreign workers contributuion is expected to decline from 16 per cent or 13.8 million man hours in 2015 to 15 percent or 15.5 million man hours in 2020 while the number of skilled workers will increase from 26 percent to 35 percent, with the median salary increased from RM1,575 to RM2,250,” he said when presenting his paper at the conference.

Ahmad Badri, however, said the government should seriously look at the presence of illegal foreign workers who are at a ratio of 0.8 for each registered foreign worker. - Bernama