Kuala Lumpur (VNA) - Malaysia's construction sector is facing a critical labour crunch, with contractors warning that ongoing and upcoming public and private projects are at risk of delay due to a shortfall of at least 100,000 foreign workers.
The Malay Contractors Association of Malaysia (PKMM) said that the shortage arose when the government has restricted the entry of foreign workers since last year.
The newly-approved regulations only allow the entry of foreign workers on a case-by-case basis, according to specific application demands. However, the policy has yet to be implemented, leaving contractors struggling with a shortage of foreign labourers for construction projects, and they must hire undocumented migrants to meet deadlines.
PKMM President Datuk Mohd Rosdi Abdul Aziz stressed that many projects are set to be launched, including nearly 100 dilapidated school refurbishment projects, yet ongoing construction works are still already suffering from a severe shortage of labourers.
Rosdi said that currently, there are over 460,000 foreign labouers working in the country's construction sector, but this number is still insufficient to meet demand.
Meanwhile, President of the Malaysian Bumiputera Contractors Association Datuk Azman Yusoff said authorities need to address the issue urgently, especially for private projects. He noted that local workers are not interested in the construction sector, which is why there is a reliance on foreign labourers./.
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