Manpower-lean transformation can wait, as businesses rush to hire returning Malaysians

WITH Singapore's land border now fully reopened, employers are rolling out the welcome mat for the return of Malaysian workers who used to commute here in droves for blue-collar jobs.

While schemes to reduce reliance on foreign labour are under way, "all these efforts have... been only mildly successful", said Singapore Retailers Association (SRA) executive director Rose Tong, who expects "a few more years" are needed for meaningful change.

The Business Times previously reported that demand for Malaysian workers may be weaker than before the pandemic, especially as employers turned to automation and local staff in the interim. Even as watchers do not expect the hot demand for Malaysians to hold in the longer run, checks by BT still found that hiring interest remains strong for now.