The Malaysian Insight

LOCALS are turning down job offers at the Kuala Lumpur wholesale market in Selayang despite being offered up to RM100 for a day’s work.

This has led to an acute labour shortage at the market that supplies vegetables and seafood to other markets in the Klang Valley and neighbouring states.

Traders told The Malaysian Insight they are having a hard time replacing foreign workers who are now barred by the authorities as part of measures to fight the Covid-19 pandemic.

They said that even if they offered locals a monthly salary equivalent to what a fresh university graduate might earn, locals are still not keen to work in a 3D (dangerous, dirty, demeaning) environment.

Unemployment in Malaysia increased by 17.1% in March due to the movement-control order (MCO), a recent Statistics Department report said.

From 521,300 jobless people in March last year, there are now 610,500 unemployed in the same month this year.

The traders said while the initial response was good, locals could not cope with the environment and workload, and most did not even last a day while the others left within hours of being hired.

Kuala Lumpur Vegetable Wholesalers’ Association President Wong Keng Fatt told The Malaysian Insight he received many calls from people seeking work, but most of them were either too old or lived far away from the wholesale market in Selayang.

“We are also working together with Batu MP P. Parabakaran to find locals in the B40 group to work,” Wong said.

“He introduced more than 50 people, but so far, only two had stayed on.”

Wong said he was disappointed with the response.

“They (locals) have to change their mentality. We have relied too much on foreign workers in the past. The locals think these jobs are for foreign workers.”

He said foreigners used to make up more than 90% of the manpower in the wholesale market before Kuala Lumpur City Hall prohibited traders from employing them.

“It is estimated that 3,000 locals are needed to fill the shortage in the wholesale market, but this cannot be done in a short time.”

Earlier this month, Federal Territories Minister Annuar Musa said foreigners are not allowed to work at the wholesale market after a spike in Covid-19 cases.

Kuala Lumpur Hoi Seong Fish Wholesalers’ Association chairman Sing Kian Hock told The Malaysian Insight that it was not that the traders refused to hire the locals, but that the locals cannot cope.

“If this situation continues, it will be difficult for operations at the wholesale market to recover,” Sing said.

“Even if we get the right people and train them, it will take six months for business to stabilise.”

Sing said he hired more than a dozen locals, but fewer than 10 were left within a month.

“They cannot seem to cope with the job, especially if we sell fish. We have to work at night, carry 100 or 200kg of fish. The workplace is smelly and wet.”

He said the government should not ban all foreign workers from markets as this has caused an acute shortage of workers, adding that there could also be safety and security concerns.

“The government has not repatriated all undocumented foreign workers. What should we do if they stay?

“We will have security concerns if they are out of jobs,” he said.

There are 448 traders at the Kuala Lumpur wholesale market, with 168 stalls selling fish, 216 selling vegetables and 64 dealing in fruits.

Kuala Lumpur Fruits Wholesalers Association president Chin Nyuk Moy said compared to vegetable and fish stalls, fruit stalls are relatively clean and easy to work in.

“When customers buy fruits, we just tell our workers to carry the goods or push them in trolleys to the parking lot.

“If there are no customers, then most of them are sitting around, doing nothing.”

Chin, however, said it is tough working in fruit stalls as one box of apples or oranges can weigh at least 15 to 20kg.

“The boxes need to be moved. Locals can’t do the heavy lifting.”

She said the daily salary offered is between RM80 and RM100, and the monthly salary can reach up to RM2,600.

“We invited locals, but the response was lukewarm. Only elderly people over the age of 60 have come to apply but we are concerned about their health,” Chin told The Malaysian Insight.

“The younger workers prefer delivery services and working in fast food restaurants and supermarkets, where the salary is between RM1,300 and RM1,500 monthly.

“This is much lower than what we are prepared to offer, but sadly, there are very few takers.”

Chin said if traders still find it difficult to hire locals, then they will urge the government to legalise undocumented foreign workers.

She said the government has stepped up operations against undocumented foreign workers since the beginning of the year.

The Kuala Lumpur wholesale market, was ordered to close for disinfection due to Covid-19, and resumed business on April 24.

To date, Chin said, most traders face manpower problems.

“As business is not as good as before, some are still waiting to see if they will reopen their stalls.”

Wong said many traders have not started business because they have no workers.

“There are fewer stalls and fewer supply options. Gradually, most customers will choose to go elsewhere.”

Sing said although the number of Covid-19 cases has decreased, Selayang is still a red zone, so the municipal council is still monitoring the area.

“All who come in have to be tested, so most people are reluctant to risk their lives and prefer to go to other places to buy their goods.”

Wong estimates that it will take a year before the wholesale market recovers. – May 21, 2020.