Job seekers line street, drawn by factory’s RM3,500 starting salary

PETALING JAYA: Long queues of young jobseekers lined a street in Melaka today, drawn by the starting salary of RM3,500 offered by an electronics factory in Batu Berendam.

Melaka executive councillor Ngwe Hee Sem said some of the applicants were believed to have travelled from outside the state.

He dismissed claims that the large number of applicants reflected high unemployment in Melaka, saying the state’s unemployment rate stood at about 2%.

“The company has informed us that the interviews were held to fill between 300 and 500 vacancies for production operators and technicians.

“It is natural to expect large numbers of jobseekers when a company offers competitive salaries. This also shows that Melaka’s strong economy has made the state a destination for job seekers,” Sinar Harian reported him as saying today.

News of the large crowd of applicants, which was widely shared on social media this morning, drew the attention of Melaka mayor Shadan Othman, who visited the hotel after receiving complaints about safety and the comfort of the applicants.

He sought an explanation from the company’s management and urged it to take steps to ensure the applicants’ comfort and safety.

Melaka chief minister Ab Rauf Yusoh also arranged for his office to distribute food and drinks to the applicants waiting in line.