Malaysian Muslim Students Coalition president Wan Arif Wan Bazli said the government must assess the “distribution” of job opportunities offered to local and foreign graduates if the proposal is implemented.
“Allocate a higher percentage of jobs for locals because there are still many talented graduates who cannot find jobs in their fields, which eventually drives them to seek employment abroad.
“It’s a loss for the country not to harness the talent of locals for its progress,” he told FMT.
Wan Arif was responding to a recent statement by investment, trade and industry minister Tengku Zafrul Aziz that Putrajaya was looking into the possibility of allowing foreign graduates to pursue employment opportunities.
Tengku Zafrul cited the electrical and electronics sector as an example, saying that while it requires some 50,000 engineers, the country produces 5,000 engineers a year, not including foreign graduates and Malaysians studying abroad.
His proposal drew criticism from former Umno man Isham Jalil as well as Cuepacs, both of whom said that allowing certain sectors to hire foreign graduates was unfair and a “step backwards”.
They also said it would lead to lower wages being offered to local graduates.
Defending his proposal, Tengku Zafrul said it would be a short-term solution to the current shortage of skilled workers in certain sectors.
He said manufacturers could not wait for years before Malaysia produces such skilled workers as they are needed now.
International Islamic University Malaysia’s student union expressed hope that the government would ensure that the domestic labour market is not jeopardised if foreign graduates are allowed to work in the country.
“This step is rather concerning. It seems as if the government is taking the easy route to meet investors’ demands while simultaneously lacking confidence in the abilities of local graduates.
“The government should conduct cross-ministerial studies to delve deeper into the relevant data. Is there really a dearth of local talent in our higher education institutions?” said the union’s president Ahmad Muntasir.
He also emphasised the importance of prioritising the education and nurturing of local talent to guarantee the nation’s ability to cultivate high-quality talent domestically.