PETALING JAYA | Locals prefer not to work in a difficult environment, and want the easy way out by entering the gig economy, The Malaysian Insight reports.
Federation of Malaysian Manufacturers president Soh Thian Lai said hiring locals continues to pose difficulties and comes with different sets of challenges such as high attrition rates despite being offered higher wages, often above minimum wage.
He said it is regrettable that locals are demanding such high wages yet are not willing to work overtime.
He added locals are also unwilling to work in a 3D – dirty, difficult, and dangerous – environment.
Soh told The Malaysian Insight that locals have attitude problems, leading to more applications for medical leave as well as high absenteeism.
Meanwhile, SME Association of Malaysia president Ding Hong Sing said locals would look for all kinds of excuses not to turn up for work, with the most common being claims of compassionate leave due to the death of a family member, or a family member being hospitalised or ill.
“Locals, especially the young ones, prefer gig work, and wait for their handphones to ring for food delivery orders rather than be subjected to rigid working hours in factories,” Ding reportedly said.
