A conversation about inane things and productivity

MAY 11 — An expatriate had this to say the other evening when this columnist asked him about his job security — as a middle-aged senior executive at a time of economic volatility.

Instead of appreciating the concern, he retorted, “I’ll always have a good job in Malaysia considering the low quality of Malaysians.”

It stung. A body-blow.

A rebuke was easy enough. To say in response, whatever their quality — these Malaysians — they are the ones who vote, and may legislate to kick out all expats out of their overpriced Mont Kiara homes. But that’s just spiteful even if the Italian deserved it.

For it is surer than the sun rising in the east, in a globalised world, all humanity works all over the planet. Including the Malaysian diaspora.

But the pointed comment was about the alleged inadequacies of the general Malaysian worker, and it necessitates a conversation, baseless or not.

Part of aspiring to be a great nation is to confront criticism.

Especially since work attribute is how people refer to the quality of economies and in turn affects whether those nations are positively seen or otherwise. Which decides confidence in said economy.

Let’s not fool ourselves, reputation stays on.

The efficient German, their cousin the clockwork Swiss, the resourceful Chinese, the diligent Japanese or the gung-ho American. Each description an equal measure of history, anecdotes and economic might.

It is not scientific nor bounded by facts but reputations persist which is why they are worth defending or responding to.

How the world sees Malaysian workers — not reflected purely by workhours, but their industriousness, creativity and resilience — shapes how judgement is passed on Malaysia.

Detractors may point to the foreign direct investments (FDIs) and set-up of regional hubs here, but those examples also unearth uncomfortable truths, like a large portion of our industrial output is manned by foreigners.

The factory will be here, the tech hub right down here, still there is a strong chance the majority of the personnel are outsiders from both ends of the skills spectrum — COO to front-gate security guard — are foreigners.

How the world sees Malaysian workers — not reflected purely by workhours, but their industriousness, creativity and resilience — shapes how judgement is passed on Malaysia. — Picture by Choo Choy May

Malaysia is nowhere close to bustling Arab economies operated by foreign workers like UAE or Qatar, but the growing similarities worry. Probably more at our factories, plantations and restaurants than in finance and commerce, but the reliance on foreign workers for unskilled personnel at a time an economically deprived local population which is as unskilled seek the same jobs tells a story about the general Malaysian workforce.

It is the market which decides business owners opt for foreigners over locals. And as they say, matter as fact, the brutal truth is that the market does not lie.

There is a second reflection point.

The relative wage freeze in Malaysia over the last 30 years. While some state it is because cheap labour artificially obstructs wage increases, others rebut that if the local talent is considerable their superior value proposition would have pushed on their worth.

In short, if they were good enough, employers would recognise their worth and pay them as such.

But they have not.

Government as cheerleaders

In 1982, Mahathir Mohamad introduced the National Productivity Policy. The ant as the symbol for those old enough to remember.

While Anwar Ibrahim of 2023 feels minimum wage is an imperative, and it is, the Mahathir of the early 80s vintage was convinced the workers had to show up first and the wages will follow.

It is true then as it is now. Public policies such as the expansive — and certainly expensive — Inflation Reduction Act by the United States set out to help all kinds of American businesses, it is incumbent on American workers to meet the challenge to compete with the world given the chance.

A complaint about Malaysian workers is not some type of self-loathing bashing of one’s own country. The columnist is part of the Malaysian workforce — as unproductive as he is.

The boldness to state is concurrent to being equally committed to the situation. A commitment to be part of the solution rather than to take a morbid joy out of hitting out at one’s own country.

The error of the governments from Pakatan’s rise in 2018 to its reformed return as part of the Unity Government in 2022 is to present to the Malaysian people that there is no problem except the government in charge.

The oversimplification nauseates. Change government and problems evaporate is irresponsible.

At a time governments of the world readjust their economics, Malaysia needs to be honest about its own productivity, of its citizens and not just aggregate Malaysians and the six million foreign workers.

While the prime minister in order to gain votes should say what people want to hear, but as a statesman should say what people need to hear even if it loses votes.

It tires to hear that the only thing necessary to up productivity is to have a few more programmes at the entrepreneurship, rural development and economy ministries. Always a few more programmes to solve all problems. Decades later why no resolution?

There is a systematic problem, and here’s the call, then those in charge have to own it even if they are not responsible for it. Fortunately for the prime minister, his 16 years in Umno does not estrange him from the problem. He is no newcomer to Malaysia’s productivity deficit.

After all that has transpired, it is not solely about increasing education, number of facilities, increasing jobs despite commercial realities, or incessant government funding. It is about a prime minister telling the population, we can do better, we can drive better things forward. It sounds fluffy, perhaps.

Productivity is the easiest thing to lie about but it is the thing which defines the success of economies. It is hard to be honest about. But Malaysia has to, it has more than one irrational Italian to shut up.

*This is the personal opinion of the columnist.