KUCHING: Assistant Minister of Housing Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah believes that there is nothing wrong with Sarawakians requesting to be given priority by Petronas when hiring employees for its Sarawak operation.
“The call, I believe, is reasonable and there’s nothing abnormal to it or it being blown out of proportion by certain quarters.
“I don’t think it’s wrong for Sarawakians to request for Sarawakians to be given priority. This is one of the fears raised up by our forefathers when they negotiated the formation of Malaysia in 1963, which has led to Sarawak being given the autonomy in immigration and for ‘outsiders’ to apply for ‘work permit’ if they want to work in Sarawak,” he said.
Abdul Karim was commenting on Malaysian Trade Unions Congress (MTUC) Sarawak chairman Mohd Ibrahim Hamid’s statement that competency must not be compromised in the effort to prioritise the hiring of Sarawakians.
“Yes, I fully agree that competency must not be compromised when placing priority on hiring locals. (But) the call by various quarters in Sarawak the last few weeks was for priority to be given to Sarawakians when Petronas or its related companies were to scout for employees in its Sarawak Operation.
“If there is no Sarawakian who is qualified, surely an expatriate or anyone from outside Sarawak will have to be chosen.”
Abdul Karim, who is also Assistant Minister of Youth and Sport, said the fact that this matter was being discussed now after more than 50 years after Malaysia was born, showed that there was unhappiness among Sarawakians and that there might have been a compromise being done, or leakages in the system that needed to be ratified.
