I refer to Youth and Sports Minister Khairy Jamaluddin’s comment that Malaysian youth are shunning the jobs considered dirty, dangerous and difficult , hence the government is forced to bring in 1.5 million Bangladeshis to work in Malaysia. Khairy made the statement in defence of his cabinet colleague Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

These BN leaders’ claims that Malaysian youth are too choosy when it comes to work are totally inaccurate and misleading. BN leaders like Zahid and Khairy are using this excuse merely to bring in foreigners, which will allegedly enrich certain cronies. From my experience as a municipal councillor for the past two-and-a-half years, I disagree with the statements of BN leaders that Malaysians are not willing to take up the dirty, dangerous and difficult (3D) jobs.

While many of the local governments in Malaysia outsourced their solid waste management totally to the private companies like SWM Environment and E-Idaman in line with the federal government’s decision to privatise solid waste management nationally, Penang chose not to hand over the solid waste management and decided to manage it on its own.

The Seberang Perai Municipal Council (MPSP), mainland Penang’s local government, in the year 2013 stopped the outsourcing of the solid waste management services and general cleaning works to the private companies, in stages. By 2014, MPSP totally took over the solid waste management services and general cleaning work services from the private companies, which were employing thousands of foreigners as their general workers.

Currently MPSP manages total solid waste management services in Seberang Perai, from collecting the garbage from households to the landfills. MPSP, too, manages general cleaning works like drains cleaning, grass cutting, park cleaning, etc throughout the entire Seberang Perai area, one of the largest municipalities in the country.

The decision of MPSP to stop the outsourcing of the solid waste management and general cleaning work services to the private companies, was in accordance with Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng’s direction in early 2013. The chief minister’s direction is aimed at reducing the reliance of foreign labour force in the said sectors.

Prior to 2014, most of those who work in this solid waste management sector in Penang were foreigners, especially Bangladeshis. But, that scene changed right after the MPSP stopped the outsourcing of solid waste management and cleaning services.

When MPSP decided to stop the outsourcing and take over the solid waste management and cleaning services from the private companies, it created jobs for about 2,000 Malaysians. Contrary to the popular believe and federal ministers’ false perception, about 2,000 Malaysians took up the jobs in MPSP, which are considered dirty, dangerous and difficult. Now, about 3,000 over Malaysians are employed by MPSP to do the jobs which are categorised as 3D jobs.

Because of strict regulations of the Public Services Department for hiring, most of these workers are hired on a contract basis, yet enjoy the benefits like the permanent staffers. Although it’s not a permanent government job, that does not stop Malaysians from applying for the general workers position in MPSP.

‘Thousands attending the interview’

Every time we conduct interview for the general workers position in MPSP, we will have thousands of people attending the interview. We can invite Zahid or Khairy next time we have such an interview for them to witness themselves how many Malaysians are attending the interview for the 3D jobs.

Hence, claims that Malaysians are not willing to work in difficult, dirty and dangerous jobs are proven to be just an excuse by those in Putrajaya to bring in more Bangladeshi workers into Malaysia. What is their real motive and justification to bring in 1.5 million Bangladeshis to work in Malaysia, is only known to them, when it is evident Malaysians don’t really shun any job, when they’re paid fairly.

Most employers chose to employ foreign workers, not because Malaysians aren’t willing to work in 3D sectors, but because of the cheap labour cost when they employ foreigners. Employers choosing an easy way to cut their operation costs, and looks like Malaysian government is interested only in protecting the interests of those business people and not the ordinary Malaysians. Being pro-business is not wrong; but being pro-greed is definitely wrong.

Of course, there are financial implications on MPSP’s part, too, when we stopped the outsourcing of the solid waste management and general cleaning work services and directly employ Malaysians to the Municipal Services Department of MPSP.

That increase the expenses of the council in emoluments, but MPSP never ended up recording a deficit. Instead, even after about 2,000 Malaysians were employed in the Municipal Services Department, we are still recording surpluses in the past two financial years. So, it's not about the labour costs alone, but about prudent financial management.

We can understand if Putrajaya doesn’t understand what prudent financial management is, but it should not allow the corporate capitalists to manipulate the labour market by employing foreigners with cheap salaries.

Now, the government is saying Bangladeshi workers will be allowed to work only in certain sectors like plantations, construction and services. But, in reality they’ll be allowed to work everywhere without strict enforcement on the rules. Just pay a visit to five 7-Eleven convenience stores near your place and count how many Malaysians are working there compared to foreigners, especially Bangladeshis.

The government had never and will never be serious about enforcing the rules that it sets for the employment of foreigners at the first place.

In conclusion, we have every proof in hand at MPSP to show that Malaysians are not choosy on jobs and not shunning the 3D jobs as claimed by Zahid and Khairy. And we welcome them to pay a visit to Seberang Perai and see for themselves how many Malaysians are working in MPSP in the jobs that are being considered as dirty, difficult and dangerous.

The BN ministers should stop misleading the public and stop blaming Malaysian youth for the government’s plan to bring in 1.5 million Bangladeshis to work in Malaysia.

SATEES MUNIANDY is a councillor in the Seberang Perai Municipal Council (MPSP).