KUCHING, May 14: Sarawak Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) Kapit branch chairman Khusyairy Pangkas lauded Labour Department Sarawak for its swift action to organise a special open interview programme recently for the Baleh community.
Khusyairy, who is also head of the Human Resources Development Bureau of Sarawak PKR, in a statement today said nevertheless, the programme should be opened for Sarawakians who are interested to work at Baleh Dam mega project.
“It is recommended that a series of open interviews should be held frequently but not merely rely on the Myfuture Job application,” he said.
Khusyairy opined that joint operations with the Malaysian Immigration Department should also be held to curb the practice of bringing in foreigners using visas to gain employment.
He also suggested Social Security Organisation (Socso) and the respective companies involved to release information about all vacancies and range of salaries early in mass media and social media to enable job seekers to prepare in advance for the coming interview session.
He emphasised that any delay or last-minute dissemination of information might result in failure to achieve the programme’s objective.
“In addition, Sarawak Energy Board and its subsidiaries involved in the Baleh Dam construction shall also participate in holding open interviews to minimise the engagement of expatriates from West Malaysia,” he said.
He pointed out that those who has been retrenched during Movement Control Order (MCO) period should also be called for interview based on Kapit Labour Department’s records, if any.
Likewise, he said, those who had been terminated or dismissed by their previous employers and had cases filed at the Labour Department but still did not gain employment should be encouraged to attend an open interview, with Kapit Labour Department entrusted to liaise with them.
“The programme shall also be a platform to open a counter to receive workers’ complaints about safety and health, and workers’ welfare at the dam site.
“As such, Department of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH) and Ministry of Health (MOH) should also be invited to participate along with the Labour Department and Socso in the programme,” he said. — DayakDaily
