MBAM: Construction industry needs foreign workers

KUALA LUMPUR (Oct 21): The Master Builders Association Malaysia (MBAM) said the government should take note that the construction industry needs foreign workers to fill in the demand-supply gap for manpower in the industry.

Noting the infrastructure spending announced in Budget 2017 today, the association said the construction industry will require sufficient manpower to complete it on time and within budget.

“As such, MBAM hopes that the policy with regards to the employment of foreign workers can be looked at in a holistic manner, so that aspiration of both the public and the private sector can be satisfied,” MBAM president Foo Chek Lee said in a statement.

Meanwhile, MBAM said it welcomes the priority afforded to people-centric projects, such as affordable housing, rural housing, clean water and electricity facilities, hospitals and roads for the "rakyat".

The association said it appreciates the reduction in corporate tax which will ease the cost of doing business. The association also said it appreciates GST rate being maintained at 6%.

MBAM also welcomes the RM4.6 billion allocated for technical and vocational education and training (TVET) educations to train more locals to join the construction industry.

MBAM, however, added it had also hoped to see more reduction of import duties for heavy construction machineries, and more incentives in Budget 2017 to be disbursed to industry players who adopt and implement the use of Industrialised Building System and Building Information Modelling such as equipment tax reduction and tax holidays incentives.

“We believe that mechanisation is a way forward for us to reduce our dependency on the use of foreign labour and to increase productivity and safety in the industry. We hope that [the] government will support us in our efforts in this regards,” said Foo. — theedgemarkets.com

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