By Olivia Miwil
KOTA KINABALU: A restaurant operator is hiring undocumented migrants, claiming high turnover among local workers.
The 48-year-old, who wished to remain anonymous, said his family business struggled to retain local staff.
"They quit very quickly, sometimes within months. In the end, we have no choice but to hire undocumented workers. They are more willing to work and complain less."
He said the restaurant operated from 6.30am to 3pm daily, with salaries based on the government's minimum wage guidelines.
The Sabah Labour Department said it was working to safeguard the welfare of the state's workforce, including non-resident employees.
In 2024, Sabah recorded 796,900 non-residents employed by 37,646 registered employers. These workers are protected by laws including the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants Act 2007.
Most non-resident workers are Indonesians (90.2 per cent), followed by Filipinos (7.9 per cent), Nepalese (0.1 per cent) and Cambodians (0.1 per cent).
The agriculture sector remains one of Sabah's largest employers, with 591,800 workers, of whom 58 per cent (344,700) are non-citizens, mainly in oil palm plantations.
Sabah Labour Department director Wan Zulkifli Wan Setapa urged the public to report child labour practices.
"We are the enforcement body authorised to investigate such cases," he said.
"Making general claims without action will not solve the issue and may lead to misunderstanding or exploitation of the matter," he added.
Comments
Post a Comment