TEBEDU: Low awareness of labour laws among rural communities continues to expose them to exploitation, particularly through dubious job offers and illegal employment practices, said Tebedu assemblyman Dr Simon Sinang Bada.
The issue was highlighted during the ‘Program Pekerja Kesejahteraan Pekerja MADANI’ event, which drew 350 participants comprising local leaders and students, aimed at improving understanding of labour rights and responsibilities.
“We cannot use ignorance as an excuse when caught. We cannot say we did not know the law,” he said.
He stressed that practices such as forced labour and child labour are no longer acceptable, underscoring the need for communities to be better informed in today’s environment.
“We want the people to be well-informed, knowledgeable and aware of our labour laws, especially at this time,” he said.
Sinang also raised concern over increasing cases of youth being lured by offers of high-paying jobs abroad, only to end up exploited.
“We have seen many cases where our youth seek high-paying jobs but end up being exploited as scammers. These syndicates use such offers to deceive our young people.”
He said greater awareness is necessary to help communities identify and avoid such risks, particularly among younger job seekers.
At the same time, Sinang pointed to ongoing government efforts to strengthen workforce readiness through skills training programmes and education initiatives.
He said the Sarawak government’s move to provide free education at state-owned higher learning institutions is part of a broader strategy to develop a skilled workforce aligned with industry needs.
“This is a very good initiative to strengthen our workforce so that it can meet the needs of industries in Sarawak,” he said.
