BARBERS, GOLDSMITHS STILL HAVE WORKER SHORTAGE, SAYS RAMANAN

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 20 (Bernama) -- Barbers and goldsmiths in the country are among the sectors still experiencing a shortage of workers, said Deputy Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives Minister Datuk R. Ramanan.

However, he said his team would not make any announcement on behalf of the Ministry of Human Resources but would instead request an explanation from its minister, Steven Sim Chee Keong on this issue.

"Of course, I have contacted Ministry of Human Resources officers through our officials, and they have informed me that there are still 5,000 (places) out of the quota announced that still have not been filled," he said.

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He told reporters this after attending the Ponggal celebrations and the launch of the Women's Entrepreneurship Programme (WES), organised by the Malaysian Associated Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (MAICCI) here today after the matter was raised by the MAICCI.

In September, the Cabinet agreed to open a recruitment quota for 7,500 barbers, textile workers and goldsmiths in the service subsector.

This follows Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim's announcement to reopen the recruitment of foreign workers for the three service subsectors which had previously been frozen since 2009.

Meanwhile, Ramanan also said that WES which represents women entrepreneurs from various business backgrounds should not to miss out on participating in the programmes and initiatives implemented by the Ministry of Enterpreneur Development and Cooperatives (KUSKOP), especially for women.

He said it included Program Pemerkasaan Usahawan Wanita (PUAN), Skim Pembiayaan Ikhtiar (SPI), UDA Bizznita, TEKUNNita, as well as  Successful Women Entrepreneurship Engagement Talent (SWEET)

-- BERNAMA