People receive employment training at Philimore Cambodia Co Ltd in April 2008 before getting job placements in Malaysia. (Photo by: Heng Chivoan)Friday, 09 April 2010
May Kunmakara
The Phnom Penh Post
Number of workers migrating to Malaysia rise by 80 percent
THE number of Cambodian workers migrating to Malaysia rose more than 80 percent in the first quarter of the year, compared to the same period of 2009, driven by demand for labour in the garment and other manufacturing sectors.
Cambodian government figures also showed a quarter-on-quarter rise in migration to Thailand of 26 percent, indicating the political tension between the countries was not deterring the movement of workers.
More than 3,000 Cambodians travelled to Malaysia for work in the first three months of the year, 2,350 of them women, the Ministry of Labour and Vocational Training reported Thursday.
The total was nearly double the 1,664 workers who migrated to Malaysia for the first quarter of 2009.
“This year, the Malaysian government was wide open for our labourers to work in factories and some other industries, rather that working as housekeepers,” Nhem Kimhouy, an official at the Ministry of Labour, told the Post on Thursday.
“Our government also did not limit the number of companies recruiting workers.”
Malaysian employers favoured Cambodian workers for their patience and obedience of work discipline, as well as a Buddhist faith that did not require frequent prayers, he said.
“We have time to work extra hours, rather than religions that need time to do some worship,” he said, referring to Islam, the official religion of Malaysia.
The number of Cambodians working in Malaysia nearly tripled over the last two years, from 3,432 registered migrants in 2008 to 9,682 in 2009, according to government figures.
Cambodians work in homes, factories and construction sites, earning more than $200 per month.
Cambodia has had legal channels in place since 1997 to help workers reach Malaysia, and the two countries signed an agreement on migrant workers in 2003.
Rithy Sack, chief of administration at CST Human Resources Pte Ltd, said the number of workers sent by his company rose 15 percent quarter on quarter, due to Malaysia’s openness to workers and Cambodia’s efforts to ease unemployment.
Meanwhile, Cambodia sent 701 registered workers, 315 of them women, to Thailand in the first quarter, up from 553 the previous quarter.
“I think that the political deadlock in Bangkok and the border confrontation did not impact the requirements of the work force,” Nhem Kimkouy said. That illustrated a change from last year, when the number of workers travelling to Thailand dipped, he said.
The government allows 22 recruitment agencies and two NGOs to recruit migrant workers for Malaysia and Thailand, twice as many as it had in 2009.
THE number of Cambodian workers migrating to Malaysia rose more than 80 percent in the first quarter of the year, compared to the same period of 2009, driven by demand for labour in the garment and other manufacturing sectors.
Cambodian government figures also showed a quarter-on-quarter rise in migration to Thailand of 26 percent, indicating the political tension between the countries was not deterring the movement of workers.
More than 3,000 Cambodians travelled to Malaysia for work in the first three months of the year, 2,350 of them women, the Ministry of Labour and Vocational Training reported Thursday.
The total was nearly double the 1,664 workers who migrated to Malaysia for the first quarter of 2009.
“This year, the Malaysian government was wide open for our labourers to work in factories and some other industries, rather that working as housekeepers,” Nhem Kimhouy, an official at the Ministry of Labour, told the Post on Thursday.
“Our government also did not limit the number of companies recruiting workers.”
Malaysian employers favoured Cambodian workers for their patience and obedience of work discipline, as well as a Buddhist faith that did not require frequent prayers, he said.
“We have time to work extra hours, rather than religions that need time to do some worship,” he said, referring to Islam, the official religion of Malaysia.
The number of Cambodians working in Malaysia nearly tripled over the last two years, from 3,432 registered migrants in 2008 to 9,682 in 2009, according to government figures.
Cambodians work in homes, factories and construction sites, earning more than $200 per month.
Cambodia has had legal channels in place since 1997 to help workers reach Malaysia, and the two countries signed an agreement on migrant workers in 2003.
Rithy Sack, chief of administration at CST Human Resources Pte Ltd, said the number of workers sent by his company rose 15 percent quarter on quarter, due to Malaysia’s openness to workers and Cambodia’s efforts to ease unemployment.
Meanwhile, Cambodia sent 701 registered workers, 315 of them women, to Thailand in the first quarter, up from 553 the previous quarter.
“I think that the political deadlock in Bangkok and the border confrontation did not impact the requirements of the work force,” Nhem Kimkouy said. That illustrated a change from last year, when the number of workers travelling to Thailand dipped, he said.
The government allows 22 recruitment agencies and two NGOs to recruit migrant workers for Malaysia and Thailand, twice as many as it had in 2009.
12 comments:
hey, job is job. did you know philipino do this all along, they worked in hong kong, middle east, and everywhere else where job is demanded. it's a way for them to supplement their income, and has nothing to do with no job in their own country, else. even siem people did the same by going to work overseas. so, cambodia is now just starting to do the same, so, no big deal, really. going to work overseas is not illegal as it is a contract with gov't to gov't for work exchange, etc..., really, and required lots of paper works, etc. plus, it's not like it's a permanent job or something, it's more like a seasonal job. it help people of all nationality to make income to help support their family, etc... plus, it is good way for people to travel and see the world or other countries as well. think about it!
yes good idea,
moreover, ki-media should the polite word for Khmer people...
I think the Flock is used for animal
What the fuck is this! Dirt poor Cambodian people are reduced to do stupid menial job...away from home just to cook, to clean, to wash somebody house is not the way to live in life! Dirt poor Cambodian people can apply themselves better than this!
Whatever happen to AH HUN SEN vision of high skill labor and entrepreneurship for Cambodian people!
We are becoming another Philippines.
Cambodia: Servant to the World.
Welcome to Malaysia, Khmer servants sound nice
If people are flocking to other country to find job, it is because the economy in Cambodia is not good. Anyway the word flock in this article does not sound offensive at all. It can be use on people , bird and etc..
hey, khmer people should be given choices, too, like other nationality out there with working overseas,ok! don't try to control khmer people from working overseas! look around the world, ok, don't be an outdated frog in the well mentality, ok! wake up and see the world! god bless cambodia. it has nothing to do with irresponsible gov't or gov't failed to create jobs for its people and so forth. i think it is good to have some of our people to go to work overseas like philipino, siem, etc... not everybody can be a doctor, a lawyer, rocket scientist, etc... every job is important in its own rights, really. think about it, without farmers, we would have food on our table, you know! so, people with arrogant personality has no right to look down on others for what they do. we must change that undesired mentality of looking down on different jobs thinking it's bad or something. hey, if you want to be a doctor, phd, etc that required longer education, then more power to you, ok. but don't be cynical with others who are just trying to make a living and support their family, etc..., ok! enough already, a job is a job, really! that's a good attitude to have, i think!
Any job is more dignified than begging, or waiting for hand-outs.
It is honorable to work to earn a living. Work bring a person a sense of worth and raise self confidence.
Sure these are menial works, but there are not much alternatives out there for many average Cambodians.
Cambodians are in these predicaments because the country just rose back from economic death not too long ago. While every Cambodia's neighbor countries maintain some form of economic progress, the Khmers people were so smart that between 1975-1979 they come up with a brilliant plan, start the economy with year zero. What you see now are Cambodian people paying the price of the KR's economic madness.
All Cambodian should be humbled by presentliving codition our fellow Cambodian are experiencing and should assist when opportunity is given. God's blessing to Cambodia..
To 5:15AM
To your mother!
it's not as bad as it sounds, really. i mean, we all need some kind of life experience, you know. even in college, we are taught to do many things for work experience or life experience like volunteering, field work, practical work, etc, etc... again, it's all in the attitude, really. all job is important; that's what keeps the world interesting and life goes on, you know. yes, people should have choice, no more control freak in cambodia!
2:14am,
The only stupids are the yellow shirts(PAD) and red shirts at each other throat in Bangkok right now.
I suspect you, yourself are stupid and a Thai.
cooking isn't just women's job nowadays, men can cook too, just look all over the world, men cook just like women. that's how cambodia changed now! and women can do men's jobs too like police, firefighter, join military, be in politics, etc...
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