Show Proof Of Attempt To Hire Locals, Says Dr S.Subramaniam

KEPALA BATAS, Aug 15 (Bernama) -- Factories intending to hire foreign workers must show proof locals are not interested in the jobs before they can do so, said Human Resource Minister Datuk Dr S.Subramaniam.

"They need to prove to us that they have tried to get local workers but failed to hire them," he told reporters after launching a workers' programme here, today.

He said the employers needed to offer reasonable renumeration packages and other perks to attract local workers.

"If these offers do not seem to be effective in attracting local workers, then we will allow them (the factories) to hire foreign workers," he said.

Dr S.Subramaniam said employers in the electronic and electrical sectors had failed to hire workers although there was demand for their products due to world economy recovering.

He added that the Manpower Department would make the appropirate verification first before allowing factories to hire foreign workers.

When asked about the ministry's training programme for retrenched employees, he said 300 private training institutions had been enlisted to conduct trainings to more than 33,000 retrenched employees.

On the minimum wage issue, he said he expected reasonable renumeration packages in the electronics sector would be implemented a year from now. -- BERNAMA

Warga Bangladesh tak mengaku peras ugut rakan RM70,000

KUALA LUMPUR 14 Ogos - Walaupun bersama-sama mencari rezeki di negara orang, seorang buruh binaan warga Bangladesh sanggup memeras ugut rakan senegaranya sebanyak RM70,000.

Azad Hossain, 24, yang lapan tahun lebih muda daripada mangsa, Muhammad Ibrahim, bagaimanapun mengaku tidak bersalah atas tuduhan tersebut ketika didakwa di Mahkamah Sesyen di sini hari ini.

Azad didakwa memeras ugut Muhammad yang juga seorang buruh binaan sebanyak RM70,000 di hadapan Menara PGRM, Cheras di sini pada pukul 7 petang, 13 Julai lalu.

Dia didakwa mengikut Seksyen 384 Kanun Keseksaan yang memperuntukkan hukuman penjara sehingga 10 tahun atau denda atau sebatan atau mana-mana dua daripada seksaan-seksaan tersebut jika sabit kesalahan.

Hakim Zainal Abidin Kamarudin menetapkan sebutan semula kes itu pada 9 Oktober ini.

Pendakwaan dikendalikan oleh Timbalan Pendakwa Raya, Lee Keng Fatt. - Utusan.

Hanya 931pekerja asing bayar levi

KOTA KINABALU 14 Ogos - Hanya 931 pekerja asing di negeri ini membayar levi berjumlah RM513,000 bagi tempoh tujuh bulan pertama tahun ini.

Pengarah Imigresen Sabah, Datuk Baharon Talib berkata, walaupun tempoh masa bayaran telah dilanjutkan sehingga 31 Oktober ini namun jumlah ini masih ditahap yang rendah.

"Imigresen sudah memberi kelonggaran dengan menawarkan diskaun 50 peratus kadar levi bagi setiap pekerja asing selain tempoh masa dipanjangkan tetapi angka yang mendaftar tidak begitu memuaskan.

"Oleh itu, kita berharap pekerja asing di negeri ini menggunakan peluang yang ada mendaftar sebelum tempoh yang diberikan tamat," katanya pada sidang akhbar sempena majlis ramah mesra bersama media di sini hari ini.

Hadir sama Presiden Persatuan Wartawan Sabah (SJA), Datuk Joniston Bangkuai.

Menurutnya, dianggarkan terdapat 312,000 pekerja asing berdaftar di negeri ini dan daripada jumlah itu hanya 175,000 membayar levi.

Beliau berkata, selepas tempoh diskaun tamat pada 31 Oktober ini, pekerja asing terlibat perlu membayar levi pada harga yang lebih tinggi.

Oleh itu, beliau menasihatkan majikan dan pekerja asing berkenaan memanfaatkan diskaun yang diberikan kerajaan.

Sementara itu, Baharom berkata, kaunter pendaftaran dan pembayaran Imigresen di seluruh negeri ini akan dibuka pada hari Sabtu dan Ahad bagi memudahkan majikan dan pekerja melunaskan pembayaran levi mereka.

Katanya, kaunter tersebut dibuka bermula pukul 9 pagi hingga 1 petang. - Utusan.

Another ammonia leak, two hurt this time

By AUSTIN CAMOENS

JOHOR BARU: Two foreign workers have been hospitalised after inhaling ammonia that leaked from a faulty refrigeration system in an ice factory in Tampoi here.

The incident occurred Friday when a faulty pipe leaked the noxious gas into the factory in Jalan Mangga.

Larkin Fire and Rescue Department hazardous materials response team (Hazmat) operations officer Mohd Shahari Noor said they received a call about the leak at about 5.30am.

“Two fire engines and a Hazmat truck were dispatched to the scene,” he said.

Mohd Shahari said that the firemen discovered both workers, in their 20s, struggling to breathe at the scene.

He said both have been sent to the Sultanah Aminah Hospital here for medical treatment.

Mohd Shahari said that it took his team approximately six hours to dissipate the ammonia at the factory.

He said the cause of the leak was still under investigation.

On Tuesday, six people were killed and three others hurt after inhaling ammonia gas at a jetty in Tanjung Karang in Selangor. - The Star.

Many employers yet to legalise foreign workers

KOTA KINABALU: Many employers are still not taking steps to get proper documentation for their illegal workers.

The Immigration Department believes more than 100,000 foreigners are working in the state illegally because their employers refuse to pay the documentation fee.

Since last month, 931 illegal immigrants have gone to the Immigration Department to pay their levy and apply for work permits and passports from their countries of origin.

The government recently decided to give employers a reprieve by allowing them to pay their workers' levy as well as apply for work passes from the Immigration Department and passports from their country of origin.

On top of that, a 50 per cent discount was offered across the board to all employers in a bid to encourage them to come forward with their illegal workers between last month and Oct 31.

State Immigration director Datuk Baharon Talib yesterday said the response was far from satisfactory and noted that most of the culprits were those running small businesses.

"Many major companies that employ large number of foreigners have responded to our call for them to legalise the status of their workers but not those who employ only a few workers, particularly in the agricultural and construction sectors.

In August last year, 312,837 foreigners were registered as illegal immigrants with the Immigration Department and their employers were given the opportunity to apply for proper documents within three months.

From that total, about 175,000 followed up by paying for the levy, applying for work permits and getting their passports while the rest remained unaccounted for. - NST.