Levy on foreign workers won’t work, says Sabah DAP
(FMT) KOTA KINABALU: Sabah DAP opposes the government’s proposal to increase the levy for foreign workers next year.
Kota Kinabalu division chief and MP Hiew King Cheu labelled the proposal as short sighted and an encouragement to local employers to employ illegal foreign workers currently present in the state.
Hiew said this would be the inevitable scenario as most of the jobs currently undertaken by the foreign workers are those shunned by the locals due to low salaries and poor working environment.
“The foreign workers usually don’t mind dirty, hot, dangerous and low pay job when compared to our local boys.
“With the proposed increase of levies, the first reaction of the employers will be to look for cheaper workers and that will be the illegal foreign workers.
“Those without proper documents are not paying any government fees and levies. Their asking pay is also very low and the employers are happy to do away with all the tedious application forms, registration, approvals and payments.
“As a result the government is indirectly encouraging the employment of illegal foreign workers, especially among the illegal immigrants,” he said in a statement issued here yesterday.
Long term solution needed
Hiew doubted that an increase in the foreign workers levy would compel the local employers to employ the locals to work.
