LR in hand but squeezed on labour
By Rosli Abidin Yahya 

Local entrepreneurs, mostly grocers and restaurateurs, are bemoaning their difficulty in renewing their labour quotas despite having in their possession the required "lessen rampaian" or LR. LRs are the necessary permits to operate business establishments which were given after their shops or restaurants passed the stringent checks such as health matters and fire safety.

Such inspections are done by officials representing at least seven government departments and who meet once a month on whether to grant such approval.

Business entrepreneurs need the LRs which are a pre-requisite towards before applying for quotas to employ foreign workers as well to renew such permits. Armed with a LR, they never had any problems in the past when applying for labour quotas. With such quotas they can acquire foreign labour to work for them in their establishments.

Unfortunately, they said the situation had changed where getting labour quotas were no longer as easy as before.

"We understand that the Labour Department, Ministry of Home Affairs is trying to reduce reliance on foreign labour by local establishments and we are encouraged to employ locals instead.

"However, we found out that some businessmen never had any difficulties in acquiring labour quotas. We have come across new establishments such as groceries and restaurants which have not acquired the LR but somehow they managed to get labour quotas.

"We are hoping the concerned authorities would check on this inconsistency," they allege, adding that there were cases where labour quotas were given to entrepreneurs who did not have their own offices but borrowed the offices of their friends when officials visited to scrutinise their applications.

They added that they have been finding difficulties in renewing their labour quotas even though they have long been in business. Some of them also saw a reduction in the number of foreign workers they can employ.

They also lamented on their difficulties in employing locals to help lower the unemployment rate here.

"We have said this many times but we found out in the past that some locals did not have the necessary skills such as cooking to the required restaurant standard.

"Furthermore, some locals lacked the tolerance to work longer hours with low salaries even though we have been lenient on their working hours.

"Most local employees could only last a few months and there were cases where they quit on the same day they started their employment," they lamented.

Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin