The government will TRY to reduce the number of foreign workers from about 2.1 million currently to 1.8 million by 2010, the year Pak Lah plans to handover leadership to Najib.
Now, everything is about 2010 (except for Samy Vellu who wants to stay on until 2012).
I believe that Najib, as the chairman for National Foreign Workers Committe, will be less worried to see that figure drops by 300,000 two years from now.
OK, fine. As Human Resources Minister Datuk Dr S Subramaniam says all parties, including government agencies and employers must work hand-in-hand to reduce the number of foreign workers in Malaysia.
This include preparing the locals with sufficient technical know-how in various skills, namely construction, plantation, manufacturing, etc.
The ministry, too, is coming up with several measures to enhance Malaysians with related knowledge by setting up more training centres such as the Advance Technical Traning Centre (ADTEC) and Industrial Training Institute (ILP).
However, its not going to be that easy, Subra. I know your ministry well enough. A big chunks of your development progammes which are already under implementation, are not well-equipped.
I have been to some ILPs and ADTECs, some of which dont have many enrolments, some are under-utilised and the rest are not fully-equipped with the right machineries.
Emphasis must be given to hi-end trainings such as automotive, electronics, aviation (what happened to the plan to set up an aviation training centre in Kedah?) and others. Maybe former minister Fong Chan Onn got some answers.
To woo locals to enrol, is no problem, I suppose but to provide them with proper training, especially at diploma level, should be a main focus.
Some aspects of the ministry has been politicised to the extent that in some parts of the country, which already got similiar facility, was given and will be given another one - to the interest of politics.
Locals should not compete with foreigners when it comes to job-acquiring. Although it is a fact that many Malaysians are choosy lots, many more are still jobless due to the intake of foreign workers by the private sector, on a lower salary.
Salary is another aspect that has been denying the locals with such opportunities. Should the government regulate that the private sector gives priority to the locals, and with tangible wages, it can be a successfull effort, eventually.
Nevertheless, we do need the foreign workers as part to fulfil our 2020 vision. The only thing lacking here is government's attention towards training.
No doubt that there are so many training centres, most of which belong to the private entities - but nothing can secure them the right jobs when students completed their studies.
Why? Some government's training centres are being treated like 3rd class institute. NO CLASS!