3,000 entrepreneurs to benefit from foreign worker approvals in three sectors

KUALA LUMPUR - About 3,000 entrepreneurs in the country are expected to benefit following Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim's announcement yesterday on approving part of the applications for the recruitment of foreign workers, involving barbershops, textiles and goldsmiths which was previously frozen.

Deputy Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives Minister Saraswathy Kandasami said the entrepreneurs in these sectors are in dire need of manpower epecially from India ahead of the Deepavali festival in November.

"This is good news before Deepavali because this group makes the highest business during this season," she said after holding a meeting with industry players in these three sectors at Menara Bank Rakyat here today.

Yesterday, as Anwar announced approving part of the recruitment of the foreign workers, he also placed a condition to it that local youths be trained to fill up workforce vacancies in the three sectors.

He said this matter would be discussed at the Cabinet meeting on Friday because it involves urgent needs.

Meanwhile, Saraswathy said that in the meeting with industry players from the three sectors, she stressed that they should provide skills training and guidance to local youth who want to enter the field so that we do not depend too much on foreign labour.

"I also advised them not to give space to anyone who wants to take advantage (of the situation) or give business licences to foreigners to manage businesses here," she added. - BERNAMA