Currently peninsular Malaysian workers from the offshore Oil and Gas industry are having difficulty to gain job opportunity and work permit to work in Borneo states especially in Sarawak water due to strict control over the work permit issued by state government immigration department.
We are all aware that the Borneo's states has her rights in controlling the immigration matters as stated in Malaysia Aggreement 1963 (MA63). We are also aware that Sarawak and Sabah priority is to protect their people's rights and interests. That is why this initiative is very important for us from Peninsular Malaysia to seek asistance from our Prime Minister to negotiate with the Borneo State Governments, to allow certain percentages of Peninsular Malaysian workers to get the work permit to be to work over there.
We would like to propose the system quota of 50:50; where as 50% priority to be given to the local manpower, and the remaining 50% to be shared equal by sabah and Semenanjung. For example; if the work is in Sarawak Water then the state government will ensure 50% priority to be given to the Sarawak people, and the remaining 25% will be opened to Sabahan and another 25% to those from Peninsular Malaysia. Same applies to work in Sabah Water and Peninsular Malaysia Water.
We hope that this initiative will result in the betterment of all parties involved in the Oil and Gas sector, and particularly for us in the subsea professional field which is often overlooked.
We humbly wish to seek for help from our Prime Minister to peruse, negotiate, and possibly introduce ideas on this 'System Quota' with our Bornean counterparts. Hopefully us all Malaysians can bear the fruits equally and fairly in this ever industrious Oil & Gas sector.
