Govt urged to address construction labour shortage

KUALA LUMPUR (Nov 3): Construction players are calling on the government to step in to tackle the issue of manpower shortage faced by the industry, which is worsening, given the spate of new projects being rolled out.

“I believe [the] government knows the issues we’re (contractors) facing,” said IJM Corp Bhd chief executive officer (CEO) and managing director Datuk Soam Heng Choon.

“I suggest we get a cabinet committee, maybe chaired by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak and Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, to actually get all the relevant ministries together to formulate a holistic policy [on this], because it involves various ministries,” he told a panel discussion yesterday at the Master Builders Association Malaysia Building and Construction Conference 2017.

“They (the government) should set the policy for all of us, to save it from being doomed. Lots of younger generation do not want to be involved in this industry because it is dirty, difficult, dangerous and demanding. How do we change this to get enough talent?” he asked.

Ireka Corp Bhd CEO Tan Thiam Chai highlighted that the shortage of manpower — including the lack of project managers, site supervisors and engineers — is now one of the major challenges faced by contractors in Malaysia.

“Because of this, you will see in the coming months a tremendous pressure on cost for labour. In Malaysia, we are still at a very low level of productivity, in terms of number of workers and their skill level,” he said.

Soam suggested that members of the Building Industry Presidents’ Council — which comprises industry leaders — jointly send a memorandum to the government to seek its help.

“We need a committee to be formed to address the issues related to [the industry], given that at this juncture, we have got too many projects being rolled out, especially rail-related ones,” he added.

This article first appeared in The Edge Financial Daily, on Nov 3, 2017.

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