Companies in Johor, particularly in Iskandar Malaysia, should consider offering salaries that are commensurate with workers' skills and experience in order to retain them in the country.

Director-general of the Economic Planning Unit (EPU) under the Prime Minister's Department, Rahamat Bivi Yusoff, said this measure could prevent skilled and experienced local workers from "running away" to neighbouring Singapore which offered lucrative pay.

"When companies here consider giving such workers better pay, we are encouraging them to stay. If they are suitable for the jobs and the companies need them, why not pay them salaries that commensurate with their skills?”

She said this to reporters after opening the South Zone 1Malaysia Training Scheme (SL1M) Career Interview Programme at the International Convention Centre in Johor Baru today.

Rahamat Bivi said local professional and skilled workers were always in a dilemma when choosing between earning a lucrative salary elsewhere and working in their own country.

She said the unemployment rate among graduates of almost four percent currently, which was above the overall average of 3.5 percent, hopefully could be reduced through various efforts including SL1M.

Rahamat Bivi said most of the 92,000 individuals who participated in SL1M since it was introduced in 2011, had found employment.

The two-day SL1M programme in Johor Baru from today offers more than 10,000 job opportunities at the participating 120 government-linked companies.

- Bernama