Brunei - Gov't plans to cut reliance on expat workers

8 types of jobs reserved for locals

THE government plans to reduce reliance on foreign workers in trade, wholesale and retail sector long dominated by expatriate workforce to make way for unemployed locals, the Minister of Home Affairs said yesterday.

YB Pehin Udana Khatib Dato Paduka Seri Setia Ustaz Hj Badaruddin Pengarah Dato Paduka Hj Othman informed the Eighth Legislative Council meeting yesterday that jobs such as supervisors, cashiers, sales assistants, drivers and deliverymen among others have been targeted by the government to absorb local jobseekers so that locals firms give preference to Bruneians.

"We have reserved eight types of jobs in the trade, wholesale and retail industry for our local jobseekers," he said.

YB Pehin Dato Hj Badaruddin was responding to a query by Yang Berhormat Datin Paduka Hjh Salbiah Hj Sulaiman on the government's efforts to reduce the rate of unemployment and plans to cap the number of foreign workers in many businesses.

The trade, wholesale and retail industry is one of the five non-oil and gas industries identified by the National Committee for Resolving Unemployment.

Citing statistics from the Department of Economic Planning and Development (JPKE) that foreign workers made up 60 per cent of the workforce in the sector in 2009, YB Datin Hjh Salbiah asked the minister: "If the oil and gas industry, which requires highly-skilled workers, can come up with a quota system to limit employment of foreigners, why can't it be done for other industries which require lower skills?"

YB Pehin Dato Hj Badaruddin informed the member that the ministry has taken measures to resolve the issue through the Training and Employment Scheme (SLP), which began last year.

"This scheme is designed to provide local youth with suitable job skills and experience and make them employable for the private sector, as well as to encourage employers to reduce reliance on the foreign workers," said the minister.

Through the Local Work Agency and Workforce Development (APTK) unit, the ministry has been able to provide job opportunities to unemployed locals who signed up for the SLP, where they are trained with basic skills required for the jobs.

The scheme modules include work ethics and principles, ethics between employee and employers and customer service.

These jobseekers are then absorbed in the private sector and at the same time receive various incentives for further motivation, such as on-the-job training allowance, the minister said.

"In addition, a bonus of $1,000 will be provided to the candidates who have gained permanent employment for the first full year, and another $1,500 after successful two years working with the same employee," he said added.

Deputy Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports YB Datin Hjh Adina Othman said in a previous interview in 2011 that Brunei does not have statistics that accurately reflect unemployment.

"The current rate that we keep on quoting is the statistics on jobseekers. The number of jobseekers does not necessarily reflect unemployment," she said, adding that the rate is most likely higher than the number of registered jobseekers.

AL-HAADI ABU BAKAR

The Brunei Times

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