The minimum wage rate set for the private sector would attract local employees, especially women, to work in the hotel and restaurant service sub-sector, the Dewan Negara was told today.     

Deputy Human Resources Minister Maznah Mazlan said the government was confident that the effort would also help balance the workforce between local and foreign employees in the particular sub-sector.     

She said that according to the statistics in the National Workforce Statement Report for the year 2009, the total number of local employees who worked in hotels and restaurants nationwide was 150,043 of whom 75,483 were males and the other 74,560 were females.     

“There are 25,287 foreign workers in this sub-sector of whom, 18,511 are males and 6,776 females,” she said when replying to Senator S Bagiam Ayem Perumal’s question on the percentage of local employee recruitment in the restaurant sector and the measures which the ministry would undertake to encourage locals, especially women to work in restaurants.     

NONE Maznah ( left ) said that other steps taken by the ministry to attract locals, especially women, to join the sector were to encourage entrepreneurs to provide conducive working environments as well as introduce flexible working hours.

According to Maznah, employers in the hotel and restaurant sub-sector were encouraged to increase the number of support facilities such as childcare centres, in addition to part-time working arrangements, so that more women could come out and work.     

She said, however, if there were certain employers who were unable to provide the facilities for various reasons, the ministry was prepared to negotiate with them and give assistance.     

“Although there are rules that require employers to provide such a place for their employees, there are situations where the environment does not allow the employer to do so. Hence, we will negotiate so that the facility could be provided at another location,” she said.     

- Bernama