Email to Ms Lina

I quote from Bernama today....

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 28 (Bernama) -- More than 10,000 Malaysians have lost their jobs since Jan 1, Malaysian Employers Federation (MEF) executive director, Shamsuddin Bardan, disclosed today.

He told Bernama that more were expected to be jobless in the days ahead as companies particularly in the manufacturing sector struggle to keep their businesses afloat.
In an urgent appeal to the government, he said it was of utmost importance for the second stimulus economic package to be released fast so that companies could know clearly where they stood.

The government released a RM7 billion economic stimulus package last month and Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak had promised a second package soon.
Shamsuddin said the economic downturn this time was much worse than the one in 1997 because it was more widespread and involved the major parts of the world. - Bernama

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This time around it will be much more difficult. I pity those who lost their jobs. Those fresh grad looking for jobs. March & April will be a busy month as usual for graduation day. More than 30k fresh grad will flood the job market. As usual during recession, the manufacturing sector likely to be hit by the tide. Til this date, almost 70% of my friends working in Singapore (mostly manufacturing) accept the VSS or being retrenched. An American manufacturing plant in Senai cut 10% off their exec salary.

With lot of people being laid off & in turn looking for replacement jobs, Lina Jobstreet will be busy delivering those notification emails. ha ha. As usual, when the private sector cannot deliver people will turn to the government (or GLC) to look for jobs. They are looking for security & the thoughts that the government will look after them.

I quote from Shamsuddin Bardan, he suggested the following to the government:

+ Repatriate all illegal workers to their country of origin.
+ Replace legal foreign workers in stages with Malaysians.
+ Freeze foreign recruitment.
+ Give job priority to Malaysians

Looking at the suggestions, it can only heal on the surface only. You don't expect to replace the Indonesian workers with those diploma@degree holders, right? I am still waiting (not hope) for the government to announce the second economic stimulus plan as Najib promised. And also the gov plan to face the curent economic reality. The gov need to be firm & bold in instituting their measures. Which I think, not. Anyway, let's hope for the best.

During this trying times, I remember reading one of the Kiyosaki's book. Quote:"Create a saftey net, at least 6 month of your family expenses". It can help you to last 6 months without job & you will have time to think what to do.