Foreign Labour

What is foreign labour?? If this question is asked to anyone in the street, the common answer would most likely be the Banglas and workers in the mamak stalls. This however is only half correct. The actual meaning of foreign labour is actually work done by foreign workers. A simple analogy can be put by saying foreign labour is actually work done by people who are not from this country. This includes all sectors of the economy not just the food sector and the notion of foreign labour only applied to people called Banglas. In Malaysia, foreign labour is used extensively in every area, from food industries to maids and even to the electronics sector. However, what makes Malaysia special enough to attract these foreign workers? After all, Malaysia has only reached the status of developing country and in terms of exchange rates are second to none compared to developed nations. The answer to this question is relatively simple. Malaysia is unique in its many ways. This can be attributed to the culture and common practice of a Malaysian. A typical example would be the eating at a Mamak shop in the middle of the night. No other country in this world has this unique practice. Hence, a new branch in the food industry is opened. This situation brings a much needed labour to run it effectively. This situation creates a demand for a cheap and plentiful supply of workers in the running of the Mamak stalls. Foreign workers are then brought in to fill that gap. This brings into focus the uniqueness of our culture that not only opens a new branch in the food industry, but also provides a steady demand in supply of foreign workers. Through this, it can be said that our culture creates jobs and is one of the clear reasons why foreign labour comes into this country. Another reason would be the stability of the political environment in Malaysia. This is partially due to the strict laws in the country which penalizes people who brings up sensitive issues. Examples of these laws are The Seditions Act and Internal Securities Act (ISA). All of this promotes racial harmony and ensures no ethnic group is marginalised or left out in the development of the country. The greater effect achieved by all of this is not only the stability of the political environment but also the peace in the country. This peace enables the country to prosper in this fast paced globalisation era.

A strong economic growth is another notable reason why foreign labourers choose Malaysia. This can be seen through the 7% growth rate annually in the economy of our nation. Foreign investors seeing this booming economy would invest in our country. This in turn provides jobs not only to uneducated foreign workers but also to educated ones. Hence, through this more foreign workers choose our country. Many of these workers back in their home countries have little or low job opportunities which are related to their field of study. Our country Malaysia becomes a great avenue for them to fully utilise their education and work in their respective fields. Overall, it can be said that a strong economic growth which attracts foreign investors and opens job opportunities are strong reasons for foreign workers to come into Malaysia. Without a doubt, closeness of Malaysia to their home county is another main reason for a foreign worker to consider working in Malaysia. After all, everyone does get home sick after a certain period of them. A close location from home would enable them to be able to travel back more frequently and easier to their home. For example, a foreign worker form India working in the United States would only be able to go back to India once in 3-4 years due to the high travelling cost and time consumed. Comparatively, a foreign worker from India can travel back to his/her country annually if he/she works in Malaysia. Hence, closeness of Malaysia towards their home country is another crucial factor in foreign workers choosing our country. Finally, a less known reason is the government relatively easy entrance to the country. This is due to the many policies of the government that promotes economic growth in all sectors. Hence, getting foreign workers does not become complicated such as other developed countries around the world. Apart from this, Muslims from other countries will find Malaysia increasingly attractive also. One of these countries is Indonesia. This is because Malaysia offers a variety of Halal food throughout the country. Hence, Muslims from other countries would find getting food easy, cheap and tasty.

Reference

1. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economy_of_Malaysia 2. http://www.malaysiahalalfoods.com/halalcert.html