Govt looking at reducing number of foreign workers

Sunday January 6, 2008


TANGKAK: The Government is looking into ways to reduce the number of foreign workers, especially in the construction and industrial sectors.

Human Resources Minister Datuk Seri Dr Fong Chan Onn said one approach was to push for prefabrication building system to reduce manual labourers at worksites.

He said the Public Works Department would implement the system soon where all building parts would be prefabricated in factories before they are brought to construction sites.

"This way we don't need many manual labourers at worksites and the prefabrication system would also provide employment to local workers.

"At the same time, we are also looking at the industrial sector where we want factories to go into automation," he said Sunday at the Gunung Ledang Resort.

Dr Fong said the Government was concerned over the number of foreign workers, now reaching about two million, and wanted it reduced as soon as possible.