Make local jobs more economically attractive, says Johari
Malaysian Investment Minister Johari Abdul Ghani argues that employers must offer higher wages to make local jobs attractive to Malaysians. He suggests that reducing reliance on foreign labor through automation and better pay is essential for the national economy.
Why it matters
It addresses the structural labor market challenges in Malaysia, balancing the need for economic growth with fair wage standards.
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysians are willing to work, but jobs must offer enough economic value to make them worth taking, says Datuk Seri Johari Abdul Ghani.
The Investment, Trade and Industry Minister said employers should look beyond simply claiming that Malaysians were unwilling to work and instead ask whether the wages offered made the jobs attractive enough.
“When people ask me, ‘Datuk, we have offered the job but workers do not want to take it’, I ask them, ‘What are you offering? What salary?’
“If you offer RM1,700, does that job have enough economic value for a Malaysian?”, he told reporters after officiating the Voices of HER Forum 2026 on Tuesday (Sept 8).
Johari said Malaysians were willing to travel long distances for better-paying jobs, citing those who commute to Singapore daily despite spending more than an hour each way.
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