Sarawak government should not allow or encourage the taking or employment of illegal foreign workers in the State. If the state allows the employment of foreign workers, this shows that the state did not come with a proper plan on how to develop skilled and semi-skilled manpower to help the industries in the state.

We should train our own labour force to take jobs in the state.

It should not be made an excuse that labour charges or wages demanded by locals are high and foreign labourers are cheaper than locals. Cheap labour means “modern slavery” and we should get rid of slavery of all kinds just because of profits or commercial gains. Labourers are human beings and they should be treated with respect and dignity. If the state government allows cheap labour, then the government is encouraging slavery in the state. Slavery is against international law and against human rights and it puts the labourers in bondage of debts and poverty. It makes the rich to become richer and the poor to become poorer.

What the state should do is to build more vocational schools to train workers and laws should be passed to force industries to train their own skilled and semi-skilled local labourers. Incentives should be given by the government to help local industries to train workers or labourers.

Parti Bumi Kenyalang calls for the deportation of all illegal foreign workers found in Sarawak with immediate effect. They could cause disease and increase of crimes in the state.

VOON LEE SHAN
President, Parti Bumi Kenyalang.
11 Dec 2023

(In response to Datuk Gerawat: Enforcement operation against illegal foreign workers after RTK 2.0 ends on Dec 31 – Dayak Daily & Borneo Post Online.)