I have no choice but to contact Human Resources Minister M Saravanan directly after waiting in vain for 10 days for him to follow up on his challenge to me that either one of us will resign if flaws can or cannot be found in the Human Resources Ministry’s efforts to overcome the acute shortage of workers. On 15 September, I had accepted the challenge by Human Resources Minister M. Saravanan issued on 13 September in The Vibes in Penang to resign as DAP National Chairman if I cannot find flaws in his Ministry’s efforts to overcome the acute shortage of workers.
Saravanan said that he would resign as a Minister if flaws can be found. Saravanan’s exact words in a news report in The Vibes on 13 September,
“If he (Lim) cannot find anything wrong with how the ministry is addressing the workers’ shortage, he should resign on the spot as the (DAP chairman). If he does find something wrong, then I will resign instead”.
I had castigated Saravanan for sheer incompetence for failing to answer or justify his pathetic 12% success rate in getting approved foreign workers to enter Malaysia. This is highlighted not by me, but by the Malaysian Palm Oil Association(MPOA), which estimated only 47,000 foreign workers have entered Malaysia or 12% of the 385,000 approvals by Saravanan since January 2022 for all industry sectors.
What is the use of Saravanan claiming that he has approved up to 400,000 migrant workers to join the workforce here when they cannot enter? This is another empty boast by an incompetent Minister who should be making sure that his approvals are implemented or else what is the point of giving approvals in the first place. In response, M. Saravanan had angrily issued the challenge to me. But he has maintained complete silence after that.
Just as Saravanan cannot be so irresponsible as to wash his hands off the acute labour shortage crisis, Saravanan cannot be allowed to run away from his own challenge because the foreign workers shortage needs to be resolved urgently to avoid further losses.
MPOA has stated that the palm oil industry needs 120,000 foreign workers whilst Malaysia’s E&E sector needs at least 30,000 workers urgently. The severe worker shortage has incurred losses of RM33.5 billion to the plantation sector, glove and auto spare parts industry alone. Other industries will also record losses of tens of billions of ringgit.