Be more innovative, workers told
Malaysiakini.com
May 1, 2008 

Abdullah Ahmad Badawi has urged workers to be more innovative and creative to ensure the country remains competitive, in a statement marking May Day today.
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The prime minister said Malaysia could no longer rely on its cheap labour to attract investors and should focus instead on creating a better quality and educated workforce in the face of increasing regional competition.

abdullah ahmad badawi pak lah 131107 02"In the era of a knowledge-based economy, the ability to generate, spread and apply knowledge is crucial to determine the nation's productivity and competitiveness," he said in the statement.

Be more dedicated

"Malaysia can no longer depend on cheap labour costs. Skills and knowledge have become an important prerequisite in increasing one's wages in today's economy," he said.

Abdullah also urged workers to be more dedicated and hardworking to attain Malaysia's goals of a prosperous, resilient and competitive economy.

The economy is going through a transition phase as it seeks to shift from a low-wage model to a high-wage, knowledge-based economy.

Malaysia is one of Asia's largest importers of cheap foreign labour and has about 2.3 million workers from Indonesia, Bangladesh, India and elsewhere to clean homes, construct buildings and gather crops.

The government has said it plans to cut its reliance on foreign labour to create more job opportunities for unemployed local people.

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