Jobs don't drop from the sky #7

Our youth unemployment rate has been rising every year in the past 5 years, from 11% in 2016 to 11.72% last year.

Are jobs being produced as fast as our youths grow up?

Without jobs, what's our youths' future? Without jobs, how to start a family? Without jobs, how to care for aging parents?

These are the questions that Hafiz discussed with me.

Hafiz is a graduate with a degree in finance. Most of his cohorts have left Penang to work in KL.

"Kawan-kawan struggle cari kerja di Penang, dan memang banyak yang pi KL," he said.

Although Hafiz wanted to join them, he as the eldest among his siblings had stay back to care for the family.

Unable to get a suitable permanent job, Hafiz ended up as a contract worker for several years.

When the Penang South Reclamation (PSR) had job openings, Hafiz applied and got his first stable permanent job.

After working for 10 months, Hafiz has saved enough to get married. He and his wife are expecting their first child now.

Just before Raya this year, Hafiz bought a car in preparation for the arrival of the baby.

Hafiz can now provide for his parents, relieve the burden of his father who is a lorry driver, and help to finance his sister's nursing course.

Groups like Penang Forum and Sahabat Alam Malaysia are lobbying to cancel PSR, and by doing so threatening the livelihood of young people like Hafiz's.

"Kalau PSR cancel, saya akan susah dapat pekerjaan. Tambah lagi situasi pandemik sekarang, akan hadapi masalah," said Hafiz.

These anti-PSR NGOs are selfish and cruel.

They don't have practical solution to solve youth unemployment problem, yet they are lobbying to kill off projects that provide jobs to our youths.

Note: This 'Jobs don't drop from the sky' series uncovers real life stories of how actual Penangites from all walks of life are benefiting from the Penang South Reclamation project.

#1 : Abang Sam (former fisherman)

#2 : Pakcik Ismail & Mat (former fishermen)

#3 : Nina (young graduate with a degree in agricultural science)

#4 : Razali (fisherman)

#5 : Idris & Adam (fishermen)

#6 : Jan (young graduate with a degree in quantity surveying)

Anti-PSR NGOs must stop eliminating jobs in Penang

AnakPinang Statement (5 June 2021)

We at AnakPinang are concerned over the statements made by Sahabat Alam Malaysia, Tanjong Bunga Residents Association, Penang Forum, Consumer's Association of Penang, Agora Society Malaysia, and Pen Mutiara that are putting the livelihood of Penangites at risk.[1]

Their demand for the cancellation of the Penang South Reclamation (PSR) project is regrettable since that would in effect lead to the dismissal of existing jobs, affecting businesses, and eliminating thousands of potential employments for the people in Penang.

As previously reported, the construction work of the PSR will generate 5,000 jobs in the immediate three years period.[2] This will provide significant monetary inflow into Penang’s economy.

PSR sustains employment in Penang

AnakPinang welcomes this timely stimulus provided by the PSR especially when many Penangites are either retrenched, taking pay cut, or required to take no-pay-leaves during the present Covid-19 crisis.

In the past one and a half year, we have seen the closure of the Equatorial Hotel, the ‘hibernation’ of Entopia Butterfly Farm, and the offering of voluntary separation scheme in many Penang companies.

When many Penangites are struggling to make a living, these NGOs are adding salt to wound by asking for the end of PSR which will lead to more job termination.

These anti-development NGOs and activists have a track record of lobbying for the cancellation of projects, such as the redevelopment of Penang International Sports Arena (PISA) into SPICE Convention Centre and the building of ESCAPE Theme Park.[3]

Right now, they are opposing the PSR and threatening the livelihood of all the employees who are working on the project.

Among the staff members are young local graduates who do not need to leave their family in Penang to work in other states, and local fishermen who can now have a stable monthly income and enjoy the benefits of retirement fund – which they otherwise did not have – without risking their life to work in the sea.

The cancellation of the PSR would mean the termination of these employment, which will be very unfortunate during the current pandemic crisis. The action of these NGOs is callous and cruel.

If they care for the well-being of the people working on the PSR project, these anti-PSR groups should stop lobbying for its termination which would further eliminate jobs in Penang and remove the benefits for the fishermen.

‘Phantom NGOs’

Among these six anti-PSR groups mentioned above, there are those formed by the same individuals. For instance, Meenakshi Raman is the president of Sahabat Alam Malaysia, the chairperson of Tanjung Bunga Residents Association, member of Penang Forum, and legal advisor to Consumer's Association of Penang.

This is one person lobbying under four different groups, giving the public a false impression of widespread support. It is just one of many tactics taken by these individuals to mislead the public. Whether or not this is ethical, we leave to the public to decide.

If the same people vote under different names, we would brand them ‘phantom voters’. But isn’t the action of one individual duplicating his/her action under different groups creating ‘phantom NGOs’?

Furthermore, these anti-development groups always exaggerate negative impact of PSR to mislead the public. For instance, they repeatedly claim that the implementation of PSR will threaten Penang’s food security – even though less than 20% of fishing boats work at the PSR area.[4]

Moreover, the fishery of Penang’s south contributes only 4% to the state’s seafood output, while Penang contributes only 3% to the country’s total.[5] Penang south’s fishery accounts for less than 1% of the nation’s entire output. Penang south is not “the golden zone” for fishery as falsely claimed by Penang Forum spokesperson, Khoo Salma.[6]

Therefore, we implore these anti-development NGOs to stop misleading the public with exaggerated claims to lobby for project cancellation that will lead to jobs elimination.

Development on mainland

These groups’ alternative solution for PSR is to shift industrial development to Seberang Perai, claiming there is more land available there. This is factually wrong and can only be said by those who are ignorant of mainland geography.

Currently, nine out of the ten industrial parks and zones in Penang are located on the mainland. The nine are at Mak Mandin, Perai, Seberang Jaya, Bukit Tengah, Bukit Minyak, Penang Science Park, Penang Science Park North, Batu Kawan Industrial Park 1 and Batu Kawan Industrial Park 2. The one on the island is Bayan Lepas Free Industrial Zone. The total industrial area on mainland is several times larger than on the island.

The fact is that there is not much land for industrial development in Seberang Perai. Most flatland have been developed or used for agriculture. Most flatland have been developed or used for agriculture. As reported previously, the 1,173ha of industrial land allocated in Batu Kawan was left only with 80ha in 2019.

The State Government’s effort to acquire more private land has led to legal entanglement with land owner, with the latest case involving Sime Darby.[7] Such matter may take years to settle while nothing can be done for development.

Those NGOs may believe they are offering alternative solution to PSR when in reality they are unrealistic and uninformed of the facts.

The NGOs’ environmental excuse to cancel PSR and shift development to the mainland is inconsistent as there will also be environmental impact on Seberang Perai.

Given its larger area size, the mainland’s industrial impact to the environment is already more extensive than the island. Increasing industrialisation at Seberang Perai will only make it more extensive compared to the island. So those NGOs’ excuse for shifting industrial development to mainland to avoid environmental impact is delusional.

PSR’s environmental impact can be mitigated and the natural surrounding can be rejuvenated through offset programmes which will lead to the creation of a balanced and more resilient ecosystem for humans and nature. Real environmental work should be based on facts, not on delusions as displayed by the six groups.

ANAKPINANG MEMBERS

Timothy Tye, Zulfadzli Halim, Ling Chee Seng, Rodney Fong, Hellena Ayu, Magima Raj Pragasam, Joshua Woo, Mohd Nasarudin Sultan, Nicole Tan Bee Cha

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[1]https://www.malaysiakini.com/letters/574291, https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2021/06/03/is-reclamation-worth-it-with-wfh-on-the-rise-asks-penang-group, https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2021/05/21/its-lose-lose-for-penang-in-psr-privatisation-plan-says-economist,  https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2021/06/02/groups-back-nurul-izzahs-call-to-scrap-psr, https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2021/06/04/speak-to-fisherfolk-on-benefits-of-psr-group-tells-2-mps, https://www.thevibes.com/articles/news/29690/psi-threatens-penangs-environment-and-fishing-coastal-communities-associations

[2]https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2021/05/17/project-to-create-15k-jobs

[3]https://aliran.com/coalitions/penang-forum/two-councillors-break-ranks-to-oppose-mppp-budget/, https://www.thestar.com.my/opinion/letters/2011/11/22/scrap-the-escape-park/ 

[4]https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2019/10/24/under-20pc-of-boats-still-fish-in-site-marked-for-reclamation-says-penang-e/1803276

[5]https://www.thevibes.com/articles/news/23919/get-your-facts-right-in-slamming-psr-project-ex-councillor-tells-pas and Lembaga Kemajuan Ikan Malaysia, Laporan Risikan Pasaran 2019, page 12.

[6]https://www.malaysiakini.com/news/478867

[7]https://www.theedgemarkets.com/article/sime-darby-plantations-granted-leave-challenge-penang-land-grab

Jobs don't drop from the sky #6

Armchair academicians, Penang Forum, Consumers’ Association of Penang, Sahabat Alam Malaysia, and big-name politicians are calling for the cancellation of the Penang South Reclamation (PSR) project.

What they are really doing is destroying jobs in Penang. They are eliminating the possibility for young Penangites to have a future here.

Academicians, activists, and politicians are supposed to help people, but these anti-PSR groups prefer to starve families. Sad.

That was what came to mind when I spoke to Jan.

When Jan graduated from USM, her seniors told her that the job market in Penang was not good. Some of her coursemates had to do food delivery.

So, Jan – the only child – had to leave her widowed mother in Penang to go to KL to look for work. Her mother wasn’t working, Jan had to support her.

Indeed, Jan found a job in KL. Although she was employed there, she was often worried about her mother who was alone in Penang.

That’s why Jan is grateful for her current work in PSR.

“Really appreciate the PSR project – I can come back to Penang, I can take care of my mom,” Jan said.

However, just as Jan is settling back in Penang to take care of her widowed mother, the anti-PSR groups are calling for the PSR to be scrapped.

Not only the anti-PSR groups are a threat to Penang’s economy and future, after listening to Jan, I’m more convinced that they are job-destroyers too.

Note: This 'Jobs don't drop from the sky' series uncovers real life stories of how actual Penangites from all walks of life are benefiting from the Penang South Reclamation project.

#1 : Abang Sam (former fisherman)

#2 : Pakcik Ismail & Mat (former fishermen)

#3 : Nina (young graduate with a degree in agricultural science)

#4 : Razali (fisherman)

#5 : Idris & Adam (fishermen)

Jobs don't drop from the sky #5

I will continue to write about real Penangites whose life has been changed for the better because of Penang South Reclamation (PSR).

These Penangites are not big-name politicians, their story seldom gets highlighted.

Nonetheless, they are Penangites who can now earn a decent living for their family due to the project. Therefore, I think their story deserved to be told.

Pak Idris and his grandson, Adam are such Penangites.

Idris, 66 years old, has worked as a fisherman for over five decades. Adam, now 23, had been helping his grandpa since his teens.

Adam shared about an incident when he was 18 years old working in the sea with his grandpa.

That day they met with a thunderstorm. Huge waves were hitting their boat. Idris used all his strength to steer the boat to safety, against the strong currents until the vessel almost broke into two.

“Tok perlu lawan sampai bot terangkat tinggi, hampir patah dua." Adam said.

“Masa tu, kalau hanyut di laut, pun hanyut lah,” Idris added.

Fortunately, they escaped.

Adam has stopped becoming a fisherman after he was hired to work in the PSR project last year, when Covid-19 started.

Adam is now gainfully employed, he no longer needs to go to the sea. He can now have a stable income, EPF, and ability to get loan from bank.

“Selepas kerja untuk PSR, boleh simpan duit. Dulu hutang bank pun tak boleh. Sekarang boleh beli motor, boleh sewa rumah sendiri,” Adam said.

Adam has just recently engaged with his fiancée.

When asked for his view about Adam’s employment in PSR, Pak Idris said, “Bangga, kita pun seronok kalau cucu semua besar kerja di PSR.”

Fishermen have to risk their life just to earn enough to go through the day, while big-name politicians and Penang Forum spokepersons are churning out anti-PSR statement in the comfort of their air-con office, seated on armchair.

Politicians and Penang Forum can talk theory about Penang doesn’t need PSR during Covid-19. But it is precisely during these trying times like now that PSR is providing jobs to people like Adam who need them the most.

Jobs don’t drop from the sky. If PSR is cancelled, Adam would have to go back to the sea while politicians and Penang Forum continue to live their life as usual.

Note: This 'Jobs don't drop from the sky' series uncovers real life stories of how actual Penangites from all walks of life are benefiting from the Penang South Reclamation project.

#1 : Abang Sam (former fisherman)

#2 : Pakcik Ismail & Mat (former fishermen)

#3 : Nina (young graduate with a degree in agricultural science)

#4 : Razali (fisherman)

Jobs don't drop from the sky #4

I introduced myself to Razali, who was taking a break at the beach after coming back from the sea.

Razali, 51, is a fisherman at Penang south. He began working at the sea when he was 12.

Razali told me that he had previously applied to work in the Penang South Reclamation (PSR) project but didn't get it.

I asked him, why a fisherman like him, who has worked for 39 years in the sea, wanted to quit and work for PSR?

Razali solemnly replied that there's no future as a coastal fisherman.

Although there's no reclamation in the southern sea right now (PSR hasn't started), Razali said that the catch in the area has been declining over the years.

"Hidup nelayan sekarang susah," he said.

Razali wanted to switch to jobs with better prospect, that's why he applied to work for PSR.

"Dapat kerja kat PSR bagus juga," said Razali.

However, PSR doesn't have any more opening right now. There'll only be more jobs once the reclamation work begin.

But Penang Forum together with PAS and Gerakan are lobbying hard to cancel PSR, wanting to eliminate the chances for local fishermen like Razali to have a better life.

I hope that the PSR will soon receive the necessary approval from federal agencies so that fishermen like Razali can benefit from the project.

Note: This 'Jobs don't drop from the sky' series uncovers real life stories of how actual Penangites from all walks of life are benefiting from the Penang South Reclamation project.

#1 : Abang Sam (former fisherman)

#2 : Pakcik Ismail & Mat (former fishermen)

#3 : Nina (young graduate with a degree in agricultural science)

Jobs don't drop from the sky #3

This is Nina from Teluk Kumbar, Penang. Young and intelligent, graduated with a degree in agricultural science.

The job market was bad when she came out from university. Instead of a permanent position near home, she had to do contract work at Putrajaya, far from home.

When her father was hospitalised, Nina had to leave her job to return to Penang, to be close to her family.

Fortunately at that time, the Penang South Reclamation (PSR) project, launched by the Penang State Government, had job openings. Nina applied and was hired.

This is her first permanent position.

With better salary, Nina can now help to shoulder some of the financial burden of her family and have more savings.

"Sekarang save a lot," she said.

Nina told me that there are currently more than 800 job applications to work in PSR. Yes, 800!

Unlike those rich spokepersons of Penang Forum, many people are actually looking for jobs.

Previously, Nina objected against the PSR too. But after her own experience of working in the project and seeing the potential jobs that PSR can generate, she now thinks that the critics of PSR must learn to see the bigger picture.

"PSR can create a lot of jobs. More jobs after reclamation started, even more after it is completed. Penangites who want to stay near their family, not wanting to move out from Penang to make a living, can apply for jobs in PSR."

Nina continued, "Those affected by the pandemic, got terminated, they can also apply."

If the PSR is cancelled, all the potential new jobs will not exist.

And Nina will lose her permanent position.

Note: This 'Jobs don't drop from the sky' series uncovers real life stories of how actual Penangites from all walks of life are benefiting from the Penang South Reclamation project.

#1 : Abang Sam (former fisherman)

#2 : Pakcik Ismail & Mat (former fishermen)

Jobs don't drop from the sky #2

I met a pair of father and son who work in the Penang South Reclamation (PSR) project.

The father, Pakcik Ismail, had served in the military for 15 years before becoming a fisherman.

The livelihood of a fisherman was tough – even for an ex-soldier. Income was unstable, catch was unpredictable.

“Kalau tak pi laut, siapa nak bagi duit? Nasib kerja laut,” he said.

Pakcik was a fisherman for almost 20 years, living off the mercy of the sea. Then he found his current job with PSR, and has never failed to receive his salary every month in the past 5 years.

His son, Mat, began following him to the sea in his teens.

Didn’t want to resign his life to the sea, Mat worked in various jobs and eventually became a driver. However, he lost that and became unemployed for six months.

That was a dark period for him, his wife, and their two children. Mat struggled to provide for them.

“Tak mampu bagi apa yang mereka mahu. Rasa pahit,” he said. Relatable to many breadwinners who recently lost their job due to the pandemic.

The turning point came when Mat found his present employment in the PSR project. He can now provide for this family and has an EPF account – something which he had never had.

Pakcik and Mat told me that they were glad to have found jobs other than fishing. I asked them, why?

Both of them went silent for a while before Pakcik began to speak again.

He told me that during one of their fishing trips many years ago, Mat fell into the sea and almost drown. Their boat was hit by strong waves and Mat tripped over.

Pakcik Ismail quickly threw a rope into the sea for Mat to pull himself back. He shouted helplessly directing Mat to grab the lifeline.

Being bombarded by strong waves, Mat was struggling to get hold of the rope.

“Telan air sampai tak larat telan.”

Luckily, Mat managed to grab the rope and pulled himself back into the boat. That was the single most terrifying experience the father and son had.

That’s why Mat wished for his children to further their studies so that they don’t have to be fishermen. His eldest son wanted to be a doctor.

“Takkan ikut life kita lagi,” he said.

Pakcik Ismail interjected, “Harap-harap projek PSR ini on lah. Ini untuk masa depan anak cucu kita.”

Fight poverty with employment, not free money

The solution to eliminate poverty is to provide jobs, not handing out free money.

Employment with stable income makes us earn a living. There's dignity in working hard to provide decent lifestyle to our family.

Handouts, when received as temporary welfare, helps to cushion the unforeseen misfortune in life. However, when receiving handouts has become a routine, it will be addictive and incentivising unproductive entitlement mentality.

Poverty is a perennial problem in all societies. Providing aid is a short term solution. It cannot be sustained for long.

A long term sustainable solution is to create jobs. Decent employment does not only alleviate people from poverty but also contributes to the overall productivity of a society, in broad economic measure of gross domestic product per capita.

Therefore, it's heartening to read news that a multinational company, National Instruments (NI), is expanding their operation in Penang with RM170 million.

The company's existing facility, one of NI's largest research centres outside of America, employs 1,000 staffs, with 70 per cent in skilled and leading roles. The expansion will create another 250 new high-value jobs in the state.

 

The site of the new facility is about 5-minute drive to the area earmarked for the development of the industrial Island A under the Penang South Islands (PSI) project.

Island A is meant to provide strategic land bank near the airport and within the electric and electronic ecosystem to attract more of such investment to create jobs. Without jobs, there's no sustainable solution to eradicate poverty. Without jobs, people who are not in poverty may fall into poverty.

Providing employment is not just to eliminate poverty but also to prevent poverty. Handouts should be temporary. Creating jobs should be the permanent solution.

Malaysia needs high-skilled jobs for our youths

From 2010 to 2017, more than 170,000 graduates entered the workforce annually. However, there were only 98,000 high-skilled employment gains in that period, according to Bank Negara.[1]

That means, out of 10 graduates, more than 4 were employed below their qualification.

Murray Hunter recently pointed out that youth unemployment reached almost 60 per cent of the 504,000 unemployed.[2]

Underemployment and youth unemployment are urgent issues that need solution. The remedy lies in our education system, economic policy, and response to global market condition.

After more than 60 years under Barisan Nasional, is our country’s competitiveness robust? Are our education system and social and cultural upbringing preparing our youths to be productively employed? Is our country attracting enough investment that generate high-value jobs?

As the statistics above shown, the answer to these questions is sadly, ‘No, no, and no.’

In 1965, Malaysia’s GDP per capita was US$310 while South Korea's was US$108. Our economic productivity was about 65 per cent more than South Korean.

Fast forward to 53 years later, in 2018, our GDP per capita was US$11,239, while South Korea’s was US$31,363. They have surpassed us by 179 per cent.[3]

In the past, Vietnam used to be backward compared to Malaysia. Today, Vietnam ranked nine spots above Malaysia in World Bank’s Human Capital Index.[4]

The US News and World Report has recently named Vietnam as the eighth best country for investment with Malaysia as the thirteenth.[5]

The global market economy doesn’t wait for anyone. Either we improve our competitive advantage or be left behind.

For a state like Penang, with zero natural resources, there is no time to lose. The state has to leverage on its growing manufacturing and services sectors.

The plans to reclaim new land bank for industrial and commercial expansion and to build an integrated transport infrastructure can help to reduce underemployment and youth unemployment. We have high-skilled graduates. What we lack are high-skilled jobs.

Macau’s newly launched Light Rail Transit (LRT) is a good example. The LRT project has created more than 500 employment opportunities and provided platform for knowledge transfer to develop local workforce.[6]

References

[1] http://www.bnm.gov.my/files/publication/ar/en/2018/cp01_001_box.pdf

[2] https://www.malaymail.com/news/what-you-think/2019/09/10/malaysia-faces-youth-unemployment-crisis-murray-hunter/1789238

[3] https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/NY.GDP.PCAP.CD?end=2018&locations=KR-MY&start=1960

[4] https://photius.com/rankings/human_capital_index_country_rankings_2018.html

[5] https://www.malaysiakini.com/news/492507

[6] https://macaunews.mo/mtr-hires-over-570-staff-for-lrt-operation-git-chief/