00:00Congratulations to NUJ and to the management of the staff.
00:13Many of the staff are over 25 years.
00:21I think the spirit of the accomplishment of this CA demonstrated why.
00:28Show you the reason why people in the staff stay.
00:31Because when you pay your worker well, when you treat your worker well, then talent stays with you.
00:37When I go to forums, a very off-asked question, not only by journalists, but also by employers sometimes.
00:45They say, what is the government's effort to ensure that we can stop brain drain?
00:52Very off-asked question.
00:54I always say, yes, the government has a lot to do, definitely.
00:58There's institutional issues, systemic issues that we have to deal with,
01:01we have to deal with the structure of the economy.
01:03But ultimately, the competition is not just a competition between the government of Malaysia and let's say Singapore.
01:10It is also between companies in Malaysia and your competitors and your counterparts in other countries, or even in this country.
01:19If you take care of your worker well, if you pay your worker well, if you pay your talent well, then you will have the sticking power.
01:27I mean, we have done the surveys, 2024 survey, almost 40% of workers, they said, other than just wages and salary alone, they are looking at a more flexible working arrangement.
01:42They are looking for work-life balance, they are looking for positive working environment and working culture.
01:48So those are actually the proof factor.
01:53At one forum, an employer asked me, he said, why are you pushing for the so-called progressive labour practices?
02:02For example, 60P and 60Q of the Employment Act 1955, basically providing flexible working arrangement.
02:11They say, no, you cannot.
02:12Of course, we understand that not all tasks in the workplace can be done remotely.
02:20But mind you, working from home is just one form of flexible working arrangement.
02:25There are other forms, right?
02:26But I tell them, you know, workers are looking for progressive practices.
02:32And this is one, right?
02:33When you provide them that flexibility, when you provide them that work-life balance,
02:38when you provide them with that positive working environment, positive working culture,
02:44and of course, a good salary, then definitely you can get the talents to stay with you.
02:50So, the prologue of brain drain is not for the government to settle alone.
02:58It requires the whole of society, it requires the whole of industry's effort, right?
03:03The prologue of our Industrial Relations Act, actually, which means it's written into our law,
03:09we want to achieve industrial harmony.
03:12So, it is not a zero-sum game, yeah?
03:16I think companies have to make a profit and we want to help companies, especially SMEs in Malaysia,
03:22to compete, to be profitable, to be highly profitable, to increasing the value.
03:26But at the same time, we want the fruit of our prosperity to also be shared, yeah?
03:34Equitably, if not equally, by our workers who are working very hard to build the company, to build the country.
03:40So, thank you so much. Congratulations to the staff.
03:43Thank you. Thank you very much, thank you.
03:45Thank you so much for encouraging us.
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