Malaysia: 100 Employees In Penang May Lose Jobs

Malaysia: 100 Employees In Penang May Lose Jobs
Headline
Business 2009-01-16 16:37
PENANG, MALAYSIA: Penang is feeling the impact of the global economic meltdown, with the state government expecting about 100 employees in various industries to lose their jobs after the Chinese New Year.
Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng said Friday (16 Jan) that most of the companies had given their assurance not to retrench workers but some would have to close after the Chinese New year due to the financial crisis.
There were companies cutting salaries and over-time payments, reducing working hours, not giving bonus and requesting their employees to clear their annual to reduce operating costs but he hoped that they would not retrench wokers.
Jobstreet, Southeast Asia's largest online employment company, had set up a special retrenchment helpline which would be launched next week, he told reporters after meeting the American Chamber of Commerce representative here.
"The initiative is to give hope and help those unemployed and retrenched to obtain jobs as soon as posible," he said.
Meanwhile, to ensure that there is no massive retrenchment in Penang, Lim urged the federal government to direct Tenaga Nasional Bhd to decrease the electricity tariff and reduce the frequency of interruption of electricity to companies which he said was causing them major losses.
He also urged the federal government to waive the compulsory one per cent contribution to the Human Resource Development Fund by employers to help them cut costs. (Bernama)