Two-thirds of Singaporean wages needed to keep Johor talent: Chin Tong
Johor opposition leader Liew Chin Tong said Johoreans would be happy to work within the state if there are good jobs with decent pay providing at least two-thirds of the salary they could get in Singapore.
In conjunction with Labour Day today, the Perling assemblyperson said it is imperative for everyone to recognise that the conditions for workers in Johor are not conducive to both the economy and the well-being of its people.
“Many Johoreans work in Singapore because wages in the state and other parts of Malaysia are too low, made worse by the huge difference in currency exchange.
“I urge the state government to place good jobs with decent pay at the centre of all its economic activities. In Johor, a good job with decent pay means providing at least two-thirds of Singapore’s salary,” Liew said on Facebook.
For example, if a semi-skilled Malaysian worker is being paid SG$2,000 a month, they would be happy to return to work in Malaysia if they were offered a job with a salary between RM3,000 and RM4,000, he added.
“The gap in income is filled with better quality of life and more time spent with their families at home.”
Better investments
Liew also provided suggestions on how this can be done, such as evaluating all investments into the state based on its contributions to generating quality jobs with better pay for locals.
There is a need for higher quality investments in Johor and these job opportunities should match the qualifications of young Malaysians, he said.
Policies in the state should also be geared towards a technological upgrade, automation and the Industrial Revolution 4.0 as Liew said this will reduce dependency on manual labour especially unskilled foreign labour.
Eventually, this will also pave the way to better pay for each worker, he added.
“I understand that such a major wage structural shift and upgrade across the entire Johor and Malaysian economy will not happen overnight. It may take five to 10 years to realise this plan.
“But the journey of a thousand miles needs to start somewhere from now.”
As such, Liew urged the new Johor government to formulate a five-year roadmap to create good jobs with decent pay, adding that the state opposition is ready to contribute ideas to ensure its success.
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